A Partridge Family Reunion
by Cassidy McKenzie
Summary: A look into the Partridge's lives 15 years later
1. Default Chapter

A PARTRIDGE FAMILY REUNION - Part 1  
  
(One small note...we are visualizing the original 'Chris' in this story)  
  
  
Hello, Shirley Partridge here. You remember me - the 'swinging' mother of those five groovy kids: Keith, Laurie, Danny, Chris and Tracy. I know it's been a while since you last heard from us as a group, but I thought that perhaps you'd like to know what life has been like these past fifteen years. Fifteen years! Has it really been that long since our first record, "I Think I Love You" hit the charts and rocketed The Partridge Family into pop history? Those fifteen years have brought such a myriad of changes, not only for we Partridges, but also for the world as a whole.   
  
All the kids are grown now and pretty much on their own. My little Tracy is twenty-one and getting married any day now, if you can believe! Twenty-two year old Chris is in college, studying to be a doctor (every mother's dream!). Danny, my middle child, is now twenty-five and hosts his own radio show in the Midwest. Laurie, already twenty-nine, is a lawyer who specializes in women's rights (is anyone surprised?). She's been engaged and disengaged on a regular basis; "still searching for Mr. Right," she tells me. Finally, Keith my eldest, is thirty-one (he doesn't look a day over twenty!) and, true to his heart, is still in show business with a solo act that puts Mick Jagger to shame.   
  
As you will see, I am extremely proud of every one of my children, and even prouder to have their latest story unfold. Once again, ladies and gentlemen, (re)meet the Partridge Family:  
  
~~~~  
  
The light was red at the intersection, and Tracy Partridge checked her hair in the rear-view mirror of her little VW Bug. The car had been a graduation present from the family, and was her pride and joy. Well, until Ken Murdock had come into her life. Tall and blond, he was the antithesis of any of her brothers. Not that she didn't love her three immensely talented brothers dearly. They just weren't the love of her life anymore. Ken was The One, The Only. The two had met in Tracy's sophomore year at San Pueblo Junior College; a chance meeting in the cafeteria and, for Tracy it was love at first sight. He was studying to be an actor, and Tracy was taking every math class they offered. She and Ken went out for coffee after class one evening and by the end of the semester, they were engaged, much to her mother's delight. Her siblings had remained single thus far, making Shirley fear she would never see a wedding, much less grandchildren. So, Tracy's news was big; big enough to spur a gathering of Partridges for the event that would take place one week from Saturday. She was anxious to see her brothers and sister again; it had been way too long since the last meeting. That was at Keith's first solo concert, if she remembered correctly. A whole five years ago!  
  
A car honking broke her thoughts. She looked to see that the light had changed to green, and Tracy moved the VW into gear, turning left onto Sycamore Road.   
  
###  
  
San Pueblo airport was busy with summer travelers as Danny Partridge pulled his luggage from the huge metal carousel, looking around him for any familiar faces. Chris was supposed to meet him when his flight arrived from Boston at 2:00 p.m., but there was no sign of his little brother, as usual. The two were going to rent a car to get home, and Chris had all the information.   
  
Lugging the huge suitcase, Danny managed to get it to the information desk. The girl behind the counter was cute, too cute, he thought, and he decided to put on some of the old Partridge charm.   
  
"Hey, aren't you the girl on the cover of this month's Cosmo?" Danny smiled, leaning non-chalantly on the counter.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Can I help you?"  
  
Funny, Danny thought. That line usually worked for Keith. "Uh, yeah. I need you to page somebody for me."  
  
"Name?"  
  
"Mine, or his?"  
  
Again with the eyes. "What name do you want paged?"  
  
"Chris Partridge. Dr. Chris Partridge. Have him meet me at the luggage carousel."  
  
"Which terminal?"  
  
"This one, whichever one this is."  
  
The girl jotted it down on a note pad as Danny watched.  
  
"Don't you want my name?" he asked.  
  
Shaking her head, the girl took the microphone in her hand. "Dr. Partridge, Dr. Chris Partridge, please meet your party at Terminal B luggage carousel."  
  
Danny grinned. "Nice voice. You should be on the radio. I have my own show in Chicago."  
  
"How nice. You'd better get over there to meet your friend, the doctor." She turned away from the counter and Danny lost his smile. Wonder what Keith would do in this situation? he thought. Huh. Probably nothing. Keith wouldn't have been ignored.  
  
"Danny!"  
  
The redhead turned to see Chris, a few inches taller than the last time he'd seen him, waving him down. Pulling the suitcase up, Danny practically let it drag behind him.  
  
Though they looked unlike as any brothers could, they acted exactly how brothers would, slapping one another on the back and telling each other how bad the other one looked. Tall and thin, Chris now sported eyeglasses, while Danny, on the other hand, was still his husky, stocky self. The fiery red hair had toned down a bit, but the freckles were all there.  
  
"You're late," Danny said.  
  
"I know. There was a bad storm over Colorado. Have you got the rental info?" Chris shouldered a huge book bag.  
  
"Me? I thought you were taking care of that!"  
  
"No, I told you to do it, because I was interning when you called. I didn't have time."  
  
Danny moaned and sat down on his overstuffed suitcase. "Great. Now what? I doubt there's a car available."  
  
Chris grinned crookedly. "Why don't you use your celebrity status and try and get one anyway?"  
  
Danny uneasily glanced over at the information counter. "Well, why don't you use your Doctor status and do it?"  
  
"What would I say?"  
  
"I don't know. Tell them you have an emergency or something. Chee --do I have to think of everything?"  
  
After mulling it over, Chris shook his head. "No, it wouldn't work. Why don't we take the bus? It's probably cheaper, anyway."  
  
"Still chicken after all these years," Danny muttered, rising as Chris started for the door.   
  
###  
  
The smoky gray Mercedes looked out of place, even in 1985 San Pueblo, but Laurie Partridge wasn't paying much attention to the stares her vehicle was attracting. She was on a conference call with a client in L.A., and she wasn't a happy camper.  
  
The speakerphone crackled as Laurie drove under a cement bridge, both hands on the wheel and anger creeping into her voice.  
  
"You tell him we're going to sue for custody of the dogs anyway!" she snapped. "They are considered community property just as much as the dishwasher or the stove. I'll send his attorney a letter. Don't worry, Mrs. Hoffman. We'll get Laverne and Shirley back."  
  
She pushed a button, disconnecting the phone as she slowed for a red light. An old, beat up car pulled up next to hers and she was startled to hear a horn honk. Looking over to her left, she saw the young man behind the wheel waving at her. Hesitantly, Laurie rolled down her window.   
  
"Laurie Partridge, is it really you?" the man exclaimed.  
  
Squinting, Laurie tried to drum up some recognition, but none came.   
  
Sensing it, he leaned closer in her direction. "It's me, Doug Webster!"  
  
Laurie's face brightened. "Doug! I'm sorry, but you look different! How are you?"  
  
The light had turned green, and both drivers looked up. "How about meeting me over at the Taco Stand?" Doug called to her.  
  
"Well, I'm kind of in a hurry...why don't we meet there later, say seven?"  
  
He grinned. "I'll be there! By the way, nice wheels!"  
  
Laurie laughed as the two of them pulled away from the light.   
  
  
###  
  
In the back seat of the speeding cab, Keith Partridge took a moment to sleep. His hectic schedule prevented him from getting much shut-eye, and he had to grab it whenever he could, whether it be on a plane, in a limo, in a dressing room right before or after a show, or like now, in a taxi on the way to the airport.  
  
Jay, his manager, sat beside him, letting his meal ticket get his rest, hanging on for dear life as the driver sped through downtown Philadelphia. Watching the traffic whiz by him at what seemed a thoroughly unsafe speed, Jay sat forward, tapping on the glass partition in front of him. The driver looked back with a scowl.  
  
"Excuse me, but how much longer before we get to the airport? His plane leaves in half an hour." Jay tried to speak loudly enough for the driver to hear him, but not so loud as to awaken Keith.  
  
"Ten minutes," was the curt answer.   
  
Jay was not satisfied. It was the same answer to the same question he'd asked back at the hotel. "Ten minutes." Finally deciding that it was the only English the driver knew, Jay sat back, glancing over at Keith as he dozed against the window. The kid had certainly earned his sleep. It had been nothing but one night stands for two months, with hardly a break in between.   
  
The cab hit a pothole, and the impact was enough to lift the driver and his passengers from their seats, waking Keith. The young singer sat up, his eyes still heavy with sleep. "What...what was that? Where are we? What's going on?"  
  
"We're almost to the airport. I think. This gentleman seems to think that we're only ten minutes away." Jay shot the back of the driver's head a withering look.  
  
Keith nodded, glancing out the window. "Going awfully fast, isn't he?"  
  
"I guess I shouldn't have told him we were in a hurry." Jay smiled as the driver took the airport exit on only two wheels.  
  
It was a miracle that they ended up in front of the terminal alive. The driver unloaded the bags while Jay waved down a porter and Keith checked his familiar blue duffel bag for his ticket and his personal effects. Jay paid the driver, who spoke to him in his broken English.  
  
"You want me to wait for you?"  
  
"No!" Jay shook his head emphatically. "I'm...catching another flight later."  
  
Shrugging, the driver jumped back into his cab and screeched off while Keith laughed at the look on his manager's face. "Liar," he teased.  
  
"I'd rather WALK back to the hotel than go through that again." Jay and Keith entered the terminal. "Look, why don't go ahead to the VIP lounge, and I'll call your mother for you. Maybe you can catch a few winks before your flight takes off."  
  
"Okay, thanks. Hey, don't forget to tell her about the TV interview tonight." Keith smiled wearily.  
  
"I won't. I mean, it's the most important part, right? Now, get going before you're recognized. Keep your head down. I'll meet you in there."  
  
Keith nodded, moving away. This was the interesting part, getting through the crowds without being spotted; the part he hated/loved. After all these years, people would still stop him and ask for an autograph or a photo, even though he'd changed his looks with the times. The long shaggy mane of the old Keith Partridge was gone; he wore his hair just below the collar, now, and he sported an earring, much to his mother's dismay. It was only a gold stud, and he didn't wear it all the time. It must be the eyes, Shirley once told him. They were, after all, the mirror of the soul and Keith's were so dark and exotic; the first thing one noticed about him, besides his smile.   
  
So, he did as Jay advised and kept his gaze focused on the floor, weaving through the throngs of people. He was anxious to get some more sleep. He'd been especially tired and hadn't been feeling well for a couple of weeks, now, though he hadn't dared tell Jay or anyone, for that matter. At first he chalked it up to this last tour: night after night, going from Boston to Miami to New Orleans to Philadelphia and everywhere in between, but he'd had rougher schedules. Maybe he would get Chris to check him over once he got home. Just the thought of Chris being a doctor amused him. He remembered when the kid wouldn't even touch the dissected frog Danny brought home for a science project once. Funny how life throws you curve balls. He soon found himself at the VIP door and relieved, he slipped inside.  
  
continued... 


	2. A PARTRIDGE FAMILY REUNION, Part 2

A PARTRIDGE FAMILY REUNION - Part 2  
  
The din in the Partridge living room was a welcome one. Four out of her five children reunited after five long years, all talking and laughing and catching up.   
  
Shirley barely heard the phone ring. She hurried into the kitchen to answer it. "Hello? Oh, yes, how are you? What?" She strained to hear the voice on the other end, but the noise in the living room was making it difficult. Finally Shirley closed the shutters between the two rooms and sat down at the table.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I couldn't quite hear you before. What's this about Keith?"  
  
Jay's voice now came over the line more clearly. "He wanted me to call and tell you he can't make it home for a few days. He has a two-night stop in Manitoba, but he sends his love."  
  
"Oh, no...well, Tracy will be hurt, but she knows that's show business. We've been in that predicament before. Thank you so much for calling, Jay."  
  
"He also wanted me to tell you that he'll be doing a live interview on TV tonight, that you might want to catch. It's the One on One with Gary Dunn show."  
  
"Oh, really? That's wonderful. We can all see it together, then. Thanks again." Shirley hung up the receiver, going back out among her brood, who still hadn't toned it down much.  
  
"Who was on the phone, Mom?" Tracy asked.  
  
"That was Jay Levinson, Keith's manager. Keith won't be getting in for a few days. Seems he's in Canada."  
  
A collective moan was heard, and Shirley nodded in agreement.   
  
"My reaction exactly. However, he will be on Gary Dunn's show tonight, so we'll at least be able to see the boy."  
  
"Well, that's something, at least. That show's not on 'til nine, right? I can still keep my date with Doug." Laurie checked her watch.  
  
"That's my sister. Family second," Danny grinned at her, ducking when she flung a toss pillow at him.  
  
"He will be here for the wedding, won't he? He's supposed to give me away!" Tracy looked worried.  
  
"Hey, if he isn't, Danny and I will be glad to give you away. We have practice, now. We tried to give you away when you were seven." Chris laughed.  
  
"I know," Tracy said, smoldering. "To the neighbors down the street, that were moving to Florida!"  
  
Everyone laughed, as Shirley smoothed Tracy's red hair. Both she and Laurie had cut their long locks and had almost identical hair styles, feathered softly around their pretty faces. "It's only a two-nighter. Keith should be here in plenty of time."  
  
"I hope so; it just wouldn't be the same. I can just see these two clowns yanking me down the aisle, eager to pass me on and get rid of me," Tracy absently twisted her engagement ring around her finger, eyeing her two brothers.  
  
"There will be no dragging of anyone down anything," Shirley assured her. "Besides, if worst comes to worst, you can always have Reuben fill in for Keith."  
  
"Speaking of Reuben," Laurie smiled, her eyes sparkling. "How's your relationship going? Last I heard you two were dining and dancing every night."  
  
Shirley blushed. Her blonde hair was now streaked a little with gray, but other than that, she was still the prettiest mother in show business; or any other business, for that matter. "We don't have a 'relationship,' Laurie. We're just two single people who happen to like the night life and one another's company."  
  
"Uh huh," Laurie teased. "That's what they said about Anthony and Cleopatra."  
  
"And Bonnie and Clyde." Danny's grin was met with a derisive look from Tracy.  
  
"I think it's neat that Mom and Mr. Kincaid have each other to lean on. Although it would be nice if there were a little more to it..."  
  
Shirley smiled. "Don't worry. You'll be one of the first five to know. Now, I know you kids are tired from your trips, so you all just go upstairs and get settled while I fix dinner. We're having a barbecue, and Reuben will be here in a little bit."  
  
"Ah ha!" Chris pointed his finger at his mother.   
  
"Ah ha, nothing. He's going to assemble the new grill. Now up!" she ordered.  
  
"I get Keith's room!" Danny announced, grabbing his oversized bag.  
  
"Why should you get your own room?" Laurie pushed him.  
  
"Hey, I just spent a hour on a bus with this one," he said, jerking a thumb in Chris's direction. "That's enough companionship for one day."  
  
"Well, fine," Laurie tossed her head. "Tracy and I have a lot to talk about, anyway." She put her arm around her little sister as they started for the stairs. "Have you considered a pre-nuptial agreement? I wouldn't trust any man nowadays."  
  
"Nowadays? You were worse than Joan of Arc when you were fifteen!" Chris followed his sisters and brother.  
  
Shirley laughed, watching them file up the stairs. It was almost like normal around here, with just one notable exception. Darn that Keith, anyway!  
  
###  
  
Old home week at the Partridge house was getting more and more interesting. Reuben's arrival was greeted with hugs from the girls and a lot of backslapping from the boys. He and Danny went to work assembling the grill while Tracy and Laurie helped their mother with the salads and Chris prepared the meat with a special marinade he'd learn to make at school.   
  
"So, Trace, when are we going to meet this guy?" Chris asked. "Before the wedding, I would hope."  
  
"Well, he's down in L.A. right now at an audition, but he should be home tomorrow night," Tracy answered, tearing apart the lettuce leaf in her hands.  
  
"Then he can come for dinner; or would you rather wait until Keith gets home?" Shirley peeled a carrot.  
  
"That's fine. Oh, you guys are going to love him. He's so great. He's sophisticated, yet down to earth. Handsome, smart...he's unlike any boy I've ever known," Tracy gushed. Then, to Chris's sullen look, she added, "Present company excepted, brother," she giggled, reaching up and kissing his cheek.  
  
"Gee, I was beginning to hate the guy," Chris muttered. To his mother, he nodded. "Meat should be ready to grill in an hour. I'm gonna go help Reuben and Danny."  
  
He wiped his hands on a towel and exited as Tracy bit her lower lip. "I think I hurt his feelings."  
  
"I don't think he'll lose any sleep over it," Shirley reassured her.   
  
"Right. Men handle these things differently than we women. They are a strange breed, indeed." Laurie glanced at the clock. "I guess I'd better go meet Doug at the Taco Stand."  
  
"Why don't you invite him over here? There's plenty of food. I was expecting one more, anyway." Shirley suggested.  
  
"Let's see how it goes, first. He may have turned into a total jerk and I just may have to dump him." Laurie grinned, heading for the front door.   
  
Shirley and Tracy smiled.  
  
###  
  
"The Gary Dunn Show" was just getting underway when Laurie returned from her date. As she took a seat between Danny and Reuben on the sofa, she asked, "I haven't missed Keith, yet, have I?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. He came on and told the whole world just how miserable you are, being single and all, and gave out your home phone number." Chris munched on some leftover potato chips.  
  
"You are so hysterical," Laurie pulled a face at him.  
  
Chris shrugged uncaringly as Shirley turned up the volume. "Shhh! He just introduced Keith!"  
  
Everyone sat forward watching the screen intently as their brother, son and former client appeared from behind a curtain, waving and smiling to the applause.  
  
"Look at him!" Danny cried out. "The bum looks skinnier than ever!"  
  
"He's probably not eating very well. You know how it is, on the road all the time." Laurie tucked her hair behind one ear as Keith took a seat next to the host.  
  
"I think he looks just right." Tracy, on the floor in front of the sofa, hugged her knees, watching the whole scene with fascination.  
  
"Shhh!" Shirley admonished once more as Gary Dunn began his interview.  
  
"So, Keith, you've been on tour again. Still without the family?"  
  
"Right, I'm by myself…except for a crew of seven, including my backup band. We've been hopping all over. We just played Miami, and in a couple of days, we'll be in Houston. Then I'm going home for a little while. My youngest sister, Tracy, is getting married."  
  
Tracy grinned, putting her chin on her knees as Gary looked surprised.  
  
"Little Tracy, the little one on the tambourine?"  
  
"The one and the same. She's twenty one, now." Keith looked into the camera. "Don't have the wedding without me, Trace! I'll be home as soon as I can!"  
  
Now tears filled Tracy's eyes as Keith blew a kiss toward the camera. Not hesitating, she returned the gesture as Shirley put a hand on her head.  
  
"Sweet," Laurie smiled down at her.  
  
"Is this soon enough?"  
  
The voice behind them startled them all and everyone looked to see Keith - in the flesh - standing in the kitchen doorway.  
  
Tracy screamed, jumping up and running to his open arms as the rest clambered to their feet.  
  
"Keith!" Shirley's hand was on her throat. "What…how….?"  
  
"I've been in the garage for three hours." Keith tried to explain as his brothers and sisters attacked him from all sides. "That barbecued chicken smelled soooo good!"  
  
"Laurie, fix him up a plate," Shirley instructed, reaching over and pulling her eldest over to the couch. It wasn't an easy task, as Tracy, still weeping, was holding onto him for dear life.  
  
"You rat," Danny slugged his shoulder. "Look, you made Tracy cry."  
  
Keith smiled, pulling Tracy's head to him and kissing it gently. "I…get that reaction a lot lately."  
  
Laurie came in with a plate full of chicken and corn and biscuits. "How did you manage to pull this one off, brother?"  
  
Keith shrugged, taking a bite of the chicken. "Wasn't easy, believe me. I had to find a flight that would get me here before the show aired, then pray I came in just at the right moment. Were you surprised?"  
  
"Surprised isn't the word." Shirley touched his nose with her finger. "I thought I was seeing things."  
  
"I thought you were a ghost or something." Tracy said, squeezing his arm. "But I'm glad you came."  
  
"Where are your bags? And don't tell me they're just full of dirty laundry," Shirley said.  
  
"They're in the garage, along with my guitar and a load of gifts for everyone. And no, there's no dirty laundry. I had it done before I left Philly."  
  
"Gifts, did you say gifts?" Danny was suddenly alert.  
  
"Yes, but we can divvy them out tomorrow, if you don't mind? I just want to hit the sack."  
  
"Rough schedule, huh?" Reuben queried.  
  
"The roughest. One night one place, two nights the next…I think I'm getting too old for this," Keith sighed.  
  
"Sounds like old times." Reuben said, a faraway look in his eyes.  
  
Keith grinned. "Miss it, eh, Reuben?"  
  
"Sure, a little. But retirement's nice. Of course, with a little incentive, I could be coaxed back into the game."  
  
"My next tour, you've got it." Keith promised, slapping the older man's knee. "Okay, kiddies, it's bedtime. For me, at least. I will see you all in the morning."  
  
"Oh, uh, Keith, I've got my junk in your room," Danny confessed. "I'll move it."  
  
"No, no, that's okay. I can bunk with Chris. If he can stand the snoring." Keith glanced at his youngest brother.  
  
"Hey, if I can room with six other guys, I can do anything." Chris waved it off meaninglessly.  
  
"Goodnight, honey. Sleep as late as you want. I'll keep breakfast warm for you," Shirley stood up, hugging him. Looking around her, she was brimming with happiness. "I feel like Erica Kane…" she gushed.  
  
Laurie eyed her. "Erica Kane?"  
  
Tracy and Shirley chorused, "All My Children!"  
  
Laurie and the men all groaned.  
  
continued...  



	3. A PARTRIDGE FAMILY REUNION, Part 3

A PARTRIDGE FAMILY REUNION, Part 3  
  
It was after eleven A.M. when Keith finally padded downstairs. The morning had been unusually kind; he felt so rested and refreshed it was almost scary. For the first night in a long time, he'd slept more than four hours.  
  
The house seemed spookily quiet, but a mix of wonderful odors coaxed him into the kitchen, where he found a note taped to the oven door: 'Keith, your breakfast is warming as promised. The girls and I went shopping. See you later, love, Mom.'  
  
Eagerly, he pulled the tray of eggs, toast, bacon and hash browns from the rack and set it on the table, his stomach growling happily. Now that he was home, perhaps he could gain back the weight he'd lost these past couple of months. As he went to the refrigerator for juice, Chris came in the back door, dressed as if he were Oscar Madison or something, which was unusual for him. He was always more of the Felix Unger type and Danny had always been the sloppy one.  
  
"Great, you're up." Chris adjusted the ball cap on his head. "Danny and a bunch of the guys are getting a baseball game up over at Mueller Park. Want to come?"  
  
Sitting before his feast, Keith shrugged. "Sure, but let me get some energy first." He eyed Chris's getup with amusement. "Did you and Danny switch bodies or something?"  
  
"Hey, don't get nasty. I just thought I'd dress…casually today."  
  
"The airline lost your luggage, didn't it?"  
  
Chris smiled. "Just hurry up and eat. We need a right fielder."  
  
Keith brought a loaded fork up to his mouth. "I'll meet you there in twenty minutes."  
  
Sighing, Chris went out the back door.  
  
###  
  
  
In right field, Keith, dressed in a tank top and jeans, stood where he'd been assigned by the 'coach,' Danny's old friend Punky Lazaar, now twenty-six and a writer for the San Pueblo Times. Danny was pitching and Chris stood in left field. It was a little surreal to be playing this game today with the kids from the old neighborhood; everyone having grown into adulthood, with kids, wives, and lives of their own. It was almost like time had stopped for Keith. He didn't feel any older, and he certainly didn't look it. The guys who had been ten and eleven years old back then were the ones who had changed the most. Both Chris and Danny were now taller and heavier than he was, and they were a good five years younger.   
  
"Hey, Keith!" Danny was calling from the pitcher's mound. "We've got a lefty up. Get ready!"  
  
Keith waved his acknowledgement and waited, watching the batter. The pitch was thrown, horsehide and walnut made contact and sure enough, the ball sailed toward him in a high arc. Keith began to pedal backwards, keeping his eye on the orb that was dropping closer and closer with every step. As he reached out with the glove, the ball plopped into it, but his momentum kept him falling back. With a clang, he hit the fence, his left shoulder smacking the metal pole. Down he went, crying out in pain and clutching his stinging shoulder. And to top it all off, the ball had the nerve to fall onto the grass.  
  
Chris and Danny were at his side in seconds as he sat there, hunched over, his fingers grabbing at his now numb arm.   
  
"Where'd you hit?" Chris pushed him forward even farther, his eyes and fingers scanning Keith's back.  
  
"Shoulder…I must've hit the pole," Keith said through his teeth.  
  
"Can you move your fingers?"  
  
Keith wriggled them as Chris ran his hand up and down his left arm.  
  
"It's already swelling," Chris muttered, glancing up at Danny. "Come on, let's get him home and get some ice on this."  
  
The two boys helped their brother up.   
  
  
^^^^  
  
At the kitchen table, Danny pressed the ice bag to Keith's shoulder as his older brother gingerly held his wounded limb. Chris was fashioning a sling from a dishtowel while his brothers watched, impressed.  
  
"Is it still hurting?" Chris asked.  
  
"Yes, it's still hurting," Keith almost snapped, " Why do I need a sling?"  
  
"To take the pressure off your shoulder." Chris held the sling up for inspection. "There. How's that look?"  
  
"Great. You can hide a lot of contraband in there. You know, cookies, chips…" Danny grinned.  
  
Chris and Keith laughed as Chris gently slipped the sling over Keith's head and eased his arm into it.   
  
"I will be able to play the guitar after this, won't I?"  
  
"I don't know. Did you actually play before?" Chris teased.  
  
Keith's jaw tensed. "Hey, I still have one good arm here."  
  
"I know, I know. I was kidding. Yes, you should have complete and normal function in your arm once it heals."  
  
"Which will be…when?"  
  
"I'd give it at least a week. Just don't use it. Pretend it's not there, and you should be okay."  
  
"Easy for you to say." Keith muttered.  
  
"If everything's okay here, I'm gonna go back to the park." Danny stood up. "I was pitching the perfect game until that bugger nailed that ball."  
  
"Have fun," Keith looked up at his redheaded brother.   
  
"You, too," Danny mussed Keith's hair, grabbed his glove and was off.  
  
Chris pulled out a chair and sat opposite his brother. Putting his hands on both sides of Keith's jaw, he began to press lightly, working his way down his neck.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"It's just a routine check," Chris answered, his hands expertly moving along, finally ending up under Keith's arms. He looked up. "I know you've felt tired lately, and your diet's a disaster because of your touring, but has anything else been out of the ordinary?"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"I don't know. Weird stuff. Have you had, say, back pain, night sweats?"  
  
Keith tensed. "Yeah, actually. Especially the back pain. I thought maybe I pulled a muscle or something."  
  
Chris's fingers were still under Keith's right arm, and Keith swallowed, trying to read his face. "What, is all of it connected or something?"  
  
After a moment of silent thought and a little finger pressure, Chris pulled his hand away. "I'm not sure. I'd have to read up on it. Hopefully it's nothing." Chris smiled. "You should go lie down and put the ice bag under that shoulder. You've got one doozy of a bruise back there. Want some aspirin for the pain?"  
  
Keith shook his head, feeling a little nauseous now. Chris helped him up and grabbed the ice bag as the two of them headed for the stairs.  
  
^^^  
  
Chris sat at the table, several medical books spread open before him. Danny entered the kitchen, his face smudged but happy, and tossed his glove on the counter. "We won. By one point, but we pulled it off."  
  
"Good," Chris said absently as his brother opened the fridge, pulling out a cold can of soda.  
  
Popping open the can, Danny took a huge swig, looking over at the medical library on the table. "What, you have a test or something?"  
  
Chris looked up. "Huh? Oh, no…I'm just doing a little research. Is Keith down here?"  
  
"Why, does he have a test?" Danny grinned, plopping into a chair across from his sibling.  
  
"You could say that." Chris said solemnly, closing the book in his hand and leaning back in his chair. He blew out a big breath. "Danny, I think Keith may have Hodgkin's.  
  
Danny looked perplexed. "What's that?"  
  
"A form of lymphoma." Chris looked up. To Danny's still bewildered expression, he tried to simplify it. "Cancer."  
  
Danny reacted as if he were slapped. Putting the soda down, he stared at Chris. "You're kidding."  
  
Chris shook his head, his eyes sad behind the lenses. "I wish I were."  
  
Danny swallowed hard. "Does he know?"  
  
"No, and I'm not even sure it is Hodgkin's. But he has all the symptoms. Weight loss, fatigue…"  
  
"He's been on a rough tour, for hell's sake!" Danny sat forward, looking angry. "You know how that can take a toll on you!"  
  
Chris gave him a hard look, continuing. "Back pain, night sweats…he also has an enlarged node in his right armpit. I felt it myself when I did a little check on him."  
  
Closing his eyes, Danny fell against the back of the chair. "Crap," was all he said.  
  
"He needs a biopsy to confirm it. I could be wrong, and I hope I am, but…" Chris's voice trailed off into silence. He took another shaky breath, and this time his voice broke. "I don't know how to tell him…what to tell him." He took off his glasses, wiping his eyes wearily as Shirley, Laurie and Tracy entered through the back door.   
  
Their arms were full of packages, but they could sense the heaviness in the room. They all three stopped.   
  
"What's wrong?" Shirley's eyes went from son to son.  
  
"Well…" Chris began, quickly putting his glasses back on.  
  
"Nothing. Well, not 'nothing,' exactly. Keith got banged up during a baseball game we had over at Mueller's Park." Danny cut him off.  
  
"What happened?" Shirley put her packages on the counter.  
  
"He slammed his shoulder into a fence pole. Chris took care of him. Had to put his arm in a sling. He's okay, though. He's resting upstairs." Danny smiled, trying to ease their minds.  
  
Tracy glanced at her mother. "Should we check on him?"  
  
"Go ahead. See if he needs anything, and Laurie and I'll put this stuff away." Shirley nodded. As Tracy hurried out, Shirley opened the cupboard door. "The way you two looked, I thought maybe someone had died."  
  
Chris and Danny exchanged somber looks as Laurie went to pick up one of Chris's books on the table.  
  
"What's all this? Studying again?"  
  
Chris tried his best not to snatch the book from her while Danny began to pile the rest up. "Yeah. You know how it goes…it never ends. I'll get this out of your way."  
  
"It's not in the way, honey, you can leave them there. We'll be finished here in a little bit, then you can go back to your studies," Shirley said.  
  
"Actually, I'm through now. Danny, you want to help me back upstairs with these?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. You can check Keith's arm while we're up there. Maybe the swelling's gone down on his shoulder."  
  
The two boys moved quickly, taking a stack each and heading out of the kitchen.  
  
###  
  
Tracy was sitting facing Keith on the bed as he sat with three pillows propped up behind him, his legs crossed at the ankles, when Chris and Danny came into the room with the books.  
  
"Hey, how's it going?" Chris asked.  
  
"You mean, besides going out of my mind with boredom? Are you sure I have to wear this thing? It's hot." Keith indicated the sling.  
  
"Yes. Like I told you, it's to keep the pressure off your shoulder." Chris took the books from Danny, setting them on the dresser.   
  
Tracy reached over, pinching Keith's knee. "If you don't need anything, I'm going to go call Ken."  
  
"Thanks, darlin'," Keith winked at her. "If I think of something, these two goof offs will get it for me."  
  
"Good luck," Tracy grinned.  
  
"'Swat you think. I'm gonna get a Coke, a pizza and watch a movie downstairs." Danny looked up to see Chris looking at him, shaking his head.  
  
"I thought you were going to help me," Chris said evenly.  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Check his arm." Chris's voice got deeper.  
  
"Oh, yeah. I guess I could do that." Danny nodded.  
  
"Okay, okay, I'm going. Do your…guy things." Tracy waved, exiting.  
  
Keith noticed the exchange and he rubbed his arm under the sling. "Okay, you two. What gives?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"There's obviously something going on here that involves me. Want to let me in on it?"  
  
Danny and Chris glanced at one another. Danny nodded, sitting on the other bed. "Yeah. Uh, Chris has something to tell you."  
  
Keith looked at his youngest brother, curious, now. "Oh?"  
  
Chris took a big breath, taking a seat next to Danny, looking at the redhead rather apprehensively.  
  
"Does this have something to do with that little exam you gave me?" Keith asked.  
  
Chris nodded, feeling nauseous. "You have all the symptoms of Hodgkin's. The…night sweats, the back pain, fatigue, weight loss…the swelling in your armpit."  
  
Keith stared at them, his face not registering any expression. "Hodgkin's. That's cancer, isn't it?" he said after a moment.  
  
Chris nodded, his stomach churning. His first real diagnosis and it had to be his own brother. Suddenly, he didn't want to be a doctor anymore. He stood up. "I could be wrong. You're gonna need a biopsy." He turned away from Keith's gaze.  
  
Keith gave a little chuckle, his eyes, sparkling with tears, now focused on the ceiling. "Wow. Cancer…it's a pretty scary word, isn't it?"  
  
"It could be nothing," Danny reached over, gently nudging Keith's foot. "I mean…what are the odds? So you have a lump under your arm. It could be benign." He tried to be cheerful.  
  
Keith nodded, wiping his eyes with the shoulder of his shirt. "Yeah, sure, it could be, I guess." He hauled in a breath. "Do Mom and the girls…do they know any of this?"  
  
Chris looked at him. "No."  
  
"Let's keep it between us, then, okay? Not until I have this…biopsy or whatever."   
  
"The sooner you get it done, the better. I can go in with you." Chris sat down again, this time next to Keith.  
  
Keith nodded as there was a knock on the door. The three boys looked up to see Shirley enter.   
  
"Sorry to interrupt your powwow, fellas, but Reuben's downstairs. He says he has something important to ask us."  
  
"Knowing Rueben, it's 'Can I stay for dinner?'" Danny smirked.  
  
"I already asked him to," Shirley smiled, entering further. "How's your arm, honey?" she asked Keith.  
  
"Sore. It's a good thing your youngest son's a doctor. He saved me a couple hundred bucks."  
  
"Wait until you get my bill," Chris forced a smile.  
  
Shirley went to Keith. "Mind if I look at it, just to satisfy my curiosity?"  
  
Keith shrugged his good shoulder. "Sure, if you want." He leaned forward.  
  
Chris reached over, pulling the tank top up and exposing the bruise. Keith's shoulder blade was a dark purple and Shirley winced.  
  
"Oh, my…" she said, looking it over.  
  
"That bad, huh?" Keith saw his mother's face.  
  
"Oh, not at all, if you like bruises. And that one's a hummer," Danny craned his neck to see.  
  
"Are you sure it's not broken?" Shirley glanced at Chris.  
  
"I don't think so, but we could take him in for an x-ray."  
  
"I think that would be a very good idea." Shirley nodded. "I'll get the car."  
  
Chris and the others looked apprehensive. "I'll take him, Mom. I can probably get it done for him for free."  
  
"Okay, honey. The car keys are on the peg in the kitchen. I'll tell Reuben that his news will just have to wait."   
  
"You mean you want us to go now?" Keith looked nervous.  
  
"Yes, now. If it is broken, you don't want it to get any worse, do you?"  
  
Keith looked up at Chris. "No, I guess not."  
  
Shirley smiled. "Then you'd better get cracking. I'll see you downstairs." She left the room.  
  
Keith sighed, leaning back against the pillow.  
  
###  
  
"He did what?!" Reuben exclaimed the second he heard of Keith's accident. His usually harried features were even more pronounced, and he appeared unsteady for just a moment.  
  
"He and a fence had an unpleasant meeting. His arm's in a sling, and his shoulder is horribly bruised," Shirley answered. "Chris is taking him in for an x-ray. We're hoping it's not broken. Why?"  
  
Reuben moaned, sitting on the sofa arm. He clutched at his hair, still thick after all this time. The Partridges exchanged bemused glances as Laurie went to the older man, putting a caring hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Well, I was…" Reuben looked skyward. "Why me? Is it because I decided not to enter the priesthood after that incident in the foxhole? Is that it?"  
  
"Reuben, what are you talking about?" Shirley put a hand on her hip. Now she was bursting with curiosity, as were the girls.  
  
"It's futile now, Shirley. I'm sorry, but I just can't. Not with…him like that."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"With his arm in a cast…"  
  
"It's not in a cast, Reuben, it's in a sling," Shirley corrected.  
  
"Cast, sling, what difference does it make? He still can't play the guitar."  
  
"I'm sorry, I think we missed something here." Laurie looked as confused as the others.  
  
"Yes, Reuben, you're leaving something out. Start from the beginning," Shirley pleaded.  
  
The former manager took a deep breath as Chris, Danny and Keith descended the stairs. Seeing the sling, Reuben jumped up. "You're sure you can't move your arm? Not even to hold a guitar?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Keith backed up defensively as Reuben ran to him.  
  
The manager let out another loud sigh. "When the mayor found out that you were all in town, he declared Saturday 'Partridge Family Day.' He wanted to know if you would do a reunion concert at the Pavilion. Part of the proceeds will be going to the new Children's Center."  
  
The news brought a mixed reaction from the Group. While Keith was suddenly very attentive, the others looked a little hesitant.  
  
"I don't know…it's been so long," Shirley said.  
  
"I think it's great! We'd need a lot of rehearsal time, but we could do it." Keith's countenance was all but glowing now.  
  
"But your arm," Laurie pointed out.  
"I don't have to play, do I?" Keith looked at Reuben.  
  
"No, I guess not…" Reuben's sorrowful look was slowly disappearing. "Then, you're saying, you'll do it?"  
  
"We'll talk about it," Shirley affirmed. "After Chris and Keith come back from the hospital."  
  
"She's not giving up, is she?" Keith looked at his taller little brother.  
  
"Doesn't look like it," Chris smiled. "Come on, let's make her happy, just this once." He opened the front door.  
  
continued... 


	4. A PARTRIDGE FAMILY REUNION, Part 4

A PARTRIDGE FAMILY REUNION, Part 4  
  
The exam room was small, sterile, comforting. After being in the cavernous, dark x-ray room for two solid hours while they took pictures of every bone in his body and then some, this little room was cozy. And warm; very warm, but then again, Keith was sleepy, having just awakened from the biopsy. He remembered as far back as being given the shot, but that was it. Man, he thought. His head was so light…  
  
The door opened and Chris and a woman in a white coat entered. The room must have gotten bigger, because they looked half a mile away.  
  
"Good news," Chris was saying. "Your shoulder's not broken."  
  
"Great. Now we can go home." Keith tried to sit up, but with only one arm available for leverage, it was next to impossible.  
  
"Woah!" Chris's hand was on his good shoulder. "We haven't gotten the results of the biopsy yet."  
  
"I don't care," Keith said drowsily. "I just want to go home. We have rehearsals…"  
  
He saw the lady doctor smile. "It shouldn't be long, now. I'll call the lab." She turned and exited.  
  
Sighing, Chris sat down on the chair next to the exam table. Keith blinked, looking at him through still-bleary eyes. "Do you think I have it?"  
  
Chris's eyes met Keith's. "I don't know. I just don't know. I hope not."  
  
"You hope not…" Keith swallowed. His head was slowly clearing now, but his stomach felt queasy. "Oh,man…either way, I don't think I want to know…can't we just go home?" He pleaded.  
  
Chris stared at him. "Putting the news off won't help, pal."  
  
The door swung open and the lady doctor was back, a manila envelope in her hand. The two men looked at it as if were from another planet, then their eyes locked.  
  
"Well? Do you want me to read it, or would you rather hear it from Dr. Barnes?" Chris's voice was barely above a whisper.  
  
"Do we have to look at it now? I mean, can we take it with us? I'm not sure I'm ready yet." Keith clenched and unclenched his fist.  
  
Chris glanced at Dr. Barnes. She nodded, pushing the envelope at him. As Chris's fingers closed around it, Keith had to fight to keep what little lunch he'd had in its place.   
  
  
###  
  
The cool sea breeze was tinged with salt, stinging their faces as Chris and Keith drove along Highway 101. It had been Keith's idea to head to the beach, something totally understandable under the circumstances. It was a good place to put ones troubles aside for a brief moment in time, something that the elder Partridge had become quite adept at, especially in these last few years.  
  
At the wheel, Chris could see his brother in his peripheral vision. Keith looked tired, worn, almost his full 31 years, but not quite. He could also see the manila envelope on the seat between them; an object that Keith seemed to be completely ignoring.  
"Let me know when you want to stop." Chris guided the car around a curve. Beside them, not 50 feet away, the ocean surf pounded the rocks and cliffs that hemmed the shoreline.  
  
Keith nodded, unconsciously rubbing his injured arm. The hospital had replaced Chris's dishtowel with a state-of-the-art, bonafide sling, which to Keith, made it look more painful than it really was.  
"Lucky break, your shoulder not being broken," Chris said, trying to make conversation.  
  
"Yeah." It was the only thing Keith had uttered for 30 miles, now.  
  
Chris just shook his head.   
  
Then Keith lifted his hand. "Pull over there."  
  
Chris looked to see a public beach with just a handful of people doing their thing in the sun: sunning, swimming, surfing. There was a small picnic area with two cabanas and a refreshment stand and Chris pulled into a parking lot occupied by five or six other vehicles. Putting the car into park, he went to speak to Keith, but his brother was already out of the car, having left the envelope on the seat. Chris picked it up and got out, shutting the door.   
  
Keith was leaning against the car, staring towards the water and for a moment there, Chris could almost picture him taking a run for it. He waited nervously, the envelope scrunched between his hands, his throat dry. He knew there was no sense in pushing him. Keith could be stubborn as a mule sometimes. He would just have to wait until he was ready.   
  
"Want a beer?" Keith asked, still staring towards the water.  
  
"No," Chris answered, and Keith pushed away from the car, heading for the canopied refreshment stand. Chris followed and took a seat at a table with an umbrella shading it.   
  
Keith purchased his drink, but didn't join his brother right away. He looked back out at the water, taking a swallow of the beer.  
  
Chris sighed, fingering the envelope before him on the metal table. Part of him wanted to just rip it open, read it and get it over with, but another part of him didn't even want to know what was inside. He could only imagine what Keith was going through.  
  
With a thud, Keith sat down across from him and Chris raised his head to look at him. A few seconds passed, then Chris pushed the envelope at him.  
"Ready?"  
  
"No, but I don't have much choice, do I?"  
  
His hand still on the envelope, Chris swallowed. "Want me to read it, or do you?"  
  
"Go ahead. I probably wouldn't understand it anyway." Keith's voice was monotone, unemotional.  
  
Chris nodded. His hands almost shook as he pulled up the clasp and reached inside. He slid the paper out and shut his eyes tightly, taking a deep breath before opening them again. He could almost feel Keith's eyes boring into him as he began to read silently. The words there were technical, foreign to him. He had to read it twice to clarify it, and at the end of the second reading, he let the paper float down to the table and took his glasses off, rubbing his eyes, afraid to look up.  
  
He heard Keith clear his throat. "I have it, don't I?" he asked quietly.  
  
Chris balled his hands, pressing his forehead into his thumbs, still avoiding Keith's eyes. "It's Stage I." He barely got it out. Now he looked up.   
  
Keith was pale there in the orange glow of the sunset, and Chris saw his brother's eyes shining.  
"I'm sorry." It was all he could think of to say.  
  
They heard a female voice. "Hey, aren't you Keith Partridge?"  
  
Both boys turned to see a pretty, bikini-clad girl. Her blonde hair was streaked from the sun and she sported a crisp brown tan.  
  
Keith took a deep breath. "Yes." He smiled as if nothing had happened.  
  
"Wow, I told my friends it was you, but they wouldn't believe me," the girl gushed. "Can I get your autograph?"  
  
"Sure. Do you have some paper?"  
  
Sheepishly, she shook her head and Keith reached over, grabbing the envelope on the table, glancing at Chris. "Got a pen, Chris?"  
  
Chris quickly searched his pockets, finally producing one, and he stared, open-mouthed as Keith scrawled his name on the envelope. He couldn't believe it. Not 30 seconds ago, he'd told Keith he had cancer and here he was signing an autograph for a fan.   
  
Keith handed her the signed envelope, his smile still on his lips. "There you go," he said.  
  
She took it from him, unaware of the turmoil he was experiencing deep down inside. "Thank you!" She managed to brush his hand with hers as she moved away, back to her friends, her life.  
  
Once she was gone, Keith rose from the table.  
  
Chris looked worried. "Where are you going?"  
  
"I need to throw up," Keith said bluntly. And with that, he was off.  
  
###  
  
It would be the same deal as before: no telling the girls; not yet. They would let Danny in on it, but that was it. Shirley, Laurie and Tracy would just have to go on with their wedding plans. And no telling Reuben, either. He'd just about had a coronary over Keith's arm. Imagine what he would do over this!  
  
Chris tried in vain to tell Keith of his options. Stage I, after all, meant that the cancer was extremely treatable; radiation therapy should kill all the harmful cells and it would go into almost immediate remission. But Keith wasn't in the mood to hear it. All he wanted to do was get the group ready for Saturday's show.   
  
After delivering the good news about his shoulder to his mother, sisters and brother, Keith was off to the garage to set up for a much-needed rehearsal. In his and Chris's absence, Danny had at least had the presence of mind to unearth the instruments.  
  
Keith was fumbling with a microphone stand when Danny entered. His solemn demeanor told him that Chris had told him the news. At first there was an uneasy silence, then Keith spoke. "Talk to Chris?"  
  
Danny nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. "You…okay, and everything?" he asked after a moment.  
  
"Fine." Keith said it as if he were.  
  
More silence, then: "You want help setting up?"  
  
"Sure, seeing as I'm a hand short. You want to stack the amps?"  
  
Numbly, Danny moved to do as he was told, glancing at his brother. "Chris said you don't want to treat it."  
  
Bent down by the mike stand, Keith kept his back to Danny. "Not right now, no. Maybe after the wedding."  
  
"You shouldn't wait."   
  
Keith sighed, straightening. "Look, I'm not in the mood to argue about it. Go get Mom and the others so we can start rehearsal." He moved toward the piano, still not facing his brother. He stretched, his hand on his back. It was aching like the devil.  
  
Danny put his hand on his hip. "Dammit, Keith, quit being so stubborn! Chris knows what he's talking about. If you need treatment, you should get it now! He said it could spread."  
  
Keith remained with his back to him. "Just get the others." His voice remained steady. Tired, but firm.  
  
Fuming, Danny exited, and Keith sank down onto the piano bench. He could feel his throat swelling and his eyes burning. Stifling a sob, he slammed his fist down onto the piano keys, causing the instrument to reverberate loudly.  
  
The noise was still echoing as Laurie came in. "That was a sour note," she smiled.  
  
"Sorry," Keith muttered as his sister went to the organ sitting across the room. She glanced at him.  
  
"A little ticked off about your arm, I take it?"  
  
He nodded, not looking at her. She pulled up a bench, sitting down. "I hope I remember the songs. You do have sheet music…"  
  
Keith rose, quickly wiping at his eyes. "There's some in my bag. I'll have to make copies." He tried to avoid her gaze as he fiddled with the amplifier, but she caught a good look at his face.  
  
"Have you been crying?" she frowned.  
  
Turning away, he shook his head.   
  
She stared. "Your shoulder's broken, isn't it?"  
  
"No." He said it sharply.  
  
It was obvious he was hiding something, and she was determined to find out what. She went to say something, but Shirley, Danny and Chris entered.  
  
"Tracy's on the phone with Ken and said she'd be right in." Shirley stopped for a moment to survey the scene in front of her. It was suddenly 1973 again, only this time Danny and Chris were taller than she was. It was almost eerie.  
  
The boys took their places, glancing at their brother as they did so. Keith did his best to keep his back to everyone, but he knew it couldn't last forever.   
  
Shirley dusted off the piano bench as Keith took a microphone and pulled a high stool into the middle of the floor. He sat down on it, clearing his throat. This wouldn't be easy.   
  
Danny slung his bass over his shoulder. It felt funny, holding it after all this time. It seemed a lot smaller and lighter than he'd remembered. Then again, he was only eleven or twelve back then, and only half the size he was now.  
  
Chris looked out over his drums, surprised that he could actually see the others now. More than once, he'd lost sight of the other family members behind this drum set. He almost laughed out loud just remembering.  
  
All that was missing now was Tracy and her tambourine, but the wait was over quickly as she slipped inside.  
  
"Sorry for the wait," she smiled, picking up the instrument. "Ken's driving up from L.A. tonight to meet everyone."  
  
"Oh, honey, that's great," Shirley smiled. "We'll fix a special meal, just for him."  
  
"He's especially looking forward to meeting you, Keith. He's been a fan of yours for a long time. Before he met me, even." Tracy came up behind her brother, hugging his neck.  
  
Keith reached up, squeezing her arm. "Well, you just tell him he'd better treat you right or he won't be a fan much longer," he said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Come on, let's get this show on the road," Danny bemoaned.  
  
"Insensitive twit." Tracy swatted at him with the tambourine and went back to her place as Keith looked around him.  
  
"Everybody tuned, Danny?" he peered in Danny's direction.  
  
"Of course it's tuned. I tuned it back in '75. When I tune 'em, they stay tuned." Danny scoffed, plucking a string.  
  
The guitar let out a loud whimper and everyone reacted.  
  
"Sounds like it died or something!" Tracy laughed.  
  
"Yep, just like old times," Laurie sighed, leaning back on the bench. "Where did you say that sheet music was, Keith? I think I just may need it."  
  
"In that brown bag, over there by the amp." Keith answered. Suddenly, he wasn't feeling so good. He put the mike down on the stool, starting for the door. "Excuse me…I need some water or something."  
  
He hurried out, and Danny and Chris exchanged looks.  
  
"That was sudden," Tracy said.   
  
"Maybe his arm's hurting. Chris, go check on him, will you?" Shirley looked back at her youngest son.  
  
"Yeah, okay," Chris said, stepping out from behind the drum kit and following his brother.  
  
###  
  
Keith was standing by the sink, pale and trembling, as Chris entered.   
  
"What's up? You okay?" Chris put a hand on Keith's good shoulder.  
  
The elder Partridge shook his head, running his hand through his hair. "I don't know…I just feel…funny."  
  
Chris pulled out a chair, sitting Keith down and peering into his eyes. "What do you mean, funny?"  
  
"Kinda nauseous. Cold. I can feel my heart pounding."  
  
Chris gave him a quick check, feeling the pulse in Keith's neck. "It sounds like an anxiety attack. Just try and relax. Take some deep breaths, let your muscles go limp," he ordered, massaging Keith's right shoulder blade.  
  
Keith hung his head, trying to do as Chris prescribed. It wasn't long before both shoulders began to shake as Keith started to sob.  
  
Chris pulled Keith's head toward him, holding it against his stomach. "Shhh…it's okay…"  
  
Keith continued to cry, gut-wrenching sobs that made the younger boy tear up as well. Chris went on with the massage, staring down at his older brother.  
  
"I'm scared." Keith barely got it out.  
  
"I know, me, too." Chris swallowed hard, holding him tightly.  
  
The boys clung to one another until Keith was nearly cried out. Chris knelt by the chair, looking hard into his brother's eyes. "You have to tell Mom and the girls, and we need to start treating this."  
  
"Yeah," Keith nodded. "I know…it's just so hard."  
  
"Do you want me to tell them? I will."  
  
Keith shook his head. "I'll do it. I just don't want to steal Tracy's thunder."  
  
Chris smiled, his eyes still moist. "You won't."  
  
"Can I think about it? I mean, I can't just tell them. I have to do it in my own way."  
  
Chris pressed his head into Keith's. "Okay, but do it. The sooner the better."  
  
Keith nodded, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "I can't go back in there," he swallowed.  
  
"We can just say your arm was hurting. Come on, before they come looking for us," Chris prompted. "Besides, once we get playing, you'll forget about this and your head will start hurting." He grinned.  
  
Keith laughed in spite of himself.   
  
###  
  
The rehearsal was shaky at first; Keith having been the only one to have kept up with the music end, but after a couple of hours, they started sounding like the old group. The only difference was there were two more deep voices in the background.   
  
No one had commented on Keith's haggard appearance from his crying bout; Chris had explained it away, blaming it on the pain in his shoulder, and they accepted the explanation. Everyone but Danny, however, because he knew better.  
  
After going over "I Woke Up In Love This Morning" for the third time, Keith called a time out. The old shoulder really was beginning to hurt, now, and he knew it was time to give his voice a rest as well.  
  
"Okay, that was almost perfect, but let's take a few." He stood up, stretching.  
  
"Good. I need to start supper, anyway," Shirley stifled a yawn. "Tracy, you know what Ken likes. Let's go plan the menu."  
  
"Okay," Tracy set the tambourine down. The jingling of it was still ringing in her ears, and she shook her head. "You know, somehow I don't remember it being such hard work."  
  
"That's because you were too short to do anything. We older kids did all the work," Danny muttered, putting the bass on its stand.  
  
"Oh, really?" Laurie sniffed. "I seem to remember you goofing off rather than working…like, oh, 99% of the time."  
  
Keith smiled. "She's right, Danny. You and Chris were always off chasing each other or throwing water balloons, sometimes right before the curtain went up. I felt like I was in the middle of a kiddie matinee at the Bijou."  
  
"Oh, and you were Mr. Professional? I seem to recall more than one time when we had to hold up going on because you were having a bad hair day or something trivial." Danny smirked.  
  
"Some things never change," Shirley sighed. She'd hoped that since ten years had passed, the arguments would, too, but she was wrong. "Come on, Tracy, let's get out of here before it gets ugly."  
  
She and her youngest exited and Laurie gathered up the sheet music. "So, Keith, how's your arm?" She said it lightly, still determined to find out just what it was he was keeping from her.  
  
"It's okay. Danny, get my guitar. You're gonna have to fill in for me on a couple of these numbers." Keith instructed.  
  
The way he'd brushed it off made her even more intrigued. Her law background meant that she wasn't about to back down. She watched as Danny took the powder blue electric guitar from its case and slipped it around his neck. Keith plugged it into the amplifier and went back to Danny, doing his best to avoid Laurie's gaze.   
  
"Okay, it should be tuned, but try it anyway." He almost asked, 'Are your hands clean?' but he held his tongue. The kid wasn't eleven anymore.  
  
Danny strummed it; perfect. Keith smiled.   
  
"Let's go over the riffs on 'As Long as You're There,' it's pretty simple. Laurie, hand me the sheet music." He reached behind him.  
  
She pulled the music back. "Oh, no, not until you spill it."  
  
He turned, looking at her. "What?"  
  
She tapped the papers in her hand. "Tell me what's going on. You're hiding something "  
  
Keith glanced at Chris, still behind the drum set. Chris nodded, his eyes wide. Danny coughed uncomfortably, putting the guitar aside for now.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Keith muttered.  
  
"Better tell her, Keith," Chris said.  
  
Knowing Chris was right, Keith sat back down on the stool, rubbing the back of his neck. He was silent for quite a long time, and Laurie frowned.   
"Keith? What is it?" She fought hard not to jump up.  
  
"Laurie, I…" he almost whispered. "Oh, man, how can I say this?" he winced, closing his eyes.  
  
Chris moved around to be by Keith's side. "Come on, tell her. She needs to know." He squeezed Keith's shoulder.  
  
Keith looked up, his eyes shining and Laurie's gaze went from brother to brother. This could not be good. "What?" she nearly screamed it.  
  
"I have cancer. Lymphoma." There. It wasn't easy, but he'd said it.  
  
Laurie reacted as if she'd been punched in the stomach. She leaned back on the bench, her face white. "Oh, Dear God…"  
  
"It's in the early stage, which is very treatable," Chris added, his fingers still digging into Keith's shoulder. "We're gonna fight it, aren't we, pal?"  
  
Keith nodded as Laurie got up, going to him. He met her halfway, and they embraced hard, holding one another for a long time.   
  
The scene even made Danny tear up and he reached over, grabbing Keith's hand. Keith pulled him into the hug and soon Chris was in the circle; everyone crying and hanging on to each other.  
It was a while before they could regain some composure, and Laurie held Keith's head in her hands, her face wet with tears. " You have to tell Mom and Tracy."  
  
He nodded, swallowing. "I know…"  
  
"NOW, Keith."  
  
"I can't," he said, his throat burning. "Not with everything that's going on; not tonight. But I will."  
  
She nodded, pulling him to her once again and burying her face in his collarbone. "I'm here for you, brother…"  
  
He closed his eyes, just letting her hold him.  
  
continued... 


	5. A PARTRIDGE FAMILY REUNION, Part 5

A PARTRIDGE FAMILY REUNION, Part 5  
  
Ken Murdock was everything Tracy had said he was, tall, handsome, blond and very charismatic. Laurie surmised that the actor's life was perfect for him, because if he was nervous about meeting his future in-laws, he wasn't showing it. He'd joked around with Danny and Chris, and all but fawned over Keith; he'd even managed to charm her, Laurie Partridge, feminist. He'd bowled Mom over, too, Laurie observed, but then again, Mom had met him before and knew what to expect.  
  
Right now, they were discussing show business; the ins and outs of being famous. Thus far, Laurie noted that Keith had been on the quiet side of the conversations, and rightly so. He looked tired, frazzled; nearly debilitated.  
  
"I don't know…I hear a lot of complaints about how terrible it is to be recognized, but I don't see it," Ken was saying. "Tell me, is it that bad?"  
  
"Well, as with everything, it's got a good and bad side." Shirley answered. She laughed. "Keith would be the one to ask on that one. He's been through it all."  
  
Ken turned to Keith, sitting across the room in the director's chair he'd bought with his first real paycheck. "I can imagine. Tell me, Keith, what's so bad about this fame stuff?"  
  
Keith hauled in a deep breath. "Well, it stifles your independence, for one thing. Freedom can be non-existent. You can't live like a normal human being. No just running to the store because you're out of milk. You just might not come back."  
  
"Keith's right. He's been in some very precarious situations. We've very nearly lost him more than once," Shirley smiled at her son, reaching over and squeezing his knee.  
  
Laurie saw Keith veritably tense, swallowing hard. She sat forward. "Then again, on the upside, it's not so bad when you're asked to meet the Queen, or sing for the President."  
  
Ken looked impressed. "You've done those things?"  
  
"Sure," Danny shrugged modestly. "I got sick on the White House lawn."  
  
Everyone laughed, and Keith was grateful for the diversion. He rubbed his arm in the sling. "If you'll all excuse me, I think I'd better hit the sack…I've got an awful lot of work ahead of me in the morning, getting this ragtag band back to it's former greatness."  
  
"No problem," Ken looked at Tracy. "I'd best be getting back to my hotel, anyway. I will call you in the morning."  
  
She smiled, rising up off the couch with him. "I'll walk you to your car."  
  
"Okay." Grinning, Ken turned to the Family. "Thanks for your hospitality. Dinner was wonderful, Mrs. Partridge, and it was both a pleasure and dream come true meeting all of you." He stepped forward, extending his hand to Keith. "You, especially, Keith. I really am one of your biggest fans."  
  
Keith accepted the handshake and the compliment with the biggest smile he could muster. "Thanks, it's good to know someone out there likes my work. Let's hope you don't change your mind, once you become part of the family."  
  
Ken laughed, shaking his head. "Never in a million years. Thanks again, everybody." He pulled Tracy close to him. "Won't be long, now, huh?"  
  
"No, it won't," Shirley had to swallow back some tears.   
  
"Mother," Tracy sighed, seeing the waterworks. "There's still a week…"  
  
"I know," Shirley smiled through the tears. She waved them away. "Out, you two, before I start blubbering!"  
  
""Bye, Ken…will you be in town long?" Laurie asked as he and Tracy started for the door.  
  
"Only until your show on Saturday, then it's back to L.A. to tie up some loose ends. I should be back for the wedding."  
  
"You'd better be!" Tracy pinched his arm and he laughed, waving and letting her push him out.  
  
"Nice boy," Shirley said approvingly.  
  
"Yeah, he'll fit right in. If he's crazy enough to marry into this family, he deserves what he gets." Danny shook his head.  
  
"That's for sure," Keith agreed. "Mom, you need me to do anything before I crash?"  
  
"No, dear. You get some rest. You've had a rough day."  
  
Rougher than you think, Keith thought. "Okay, well, goodnight, everybody. Want me to leave a light on, Chris?"  
  
"No." Chris watched as his oldest brother started up the stairs.  
  
He gave Laurie a knowing look and she waved Shirley towards the kitchen. "I'll help you clean up the kitchen, Mom."  
  
"Thank you, oh, and Danny, will you see that the garage is locked? I don't want anything to happen to the equipment." Times had changed since 1975…  
  
"Sure, Mom."  
  
The girls left and Danny turned to Chris. "I think Keith could use a painkiller. Did you see the look on his face during dinner?"  
  
"Yeah, I noticed. I'll go see what I can do." Chris sighed. "I just wish he'd tell Mom and Tracy and get this over with."  
  
Danny nodded. "He will…it might take him a day or two, but he will."  
  
Chris frowned. "He doesn't have a day or two, Danny. The longer he waits, the worse it's gonna get."  
  
Danny swallowed. "I know." He sighed, leaning back on the counter as Chris went up the stairs.  
  
###  
  
Keith was hot. He moved restlessly in the bed, kicking the covers off. Feeling as if he were suffocating, he sat up, pulling his pajama top away from his body. The shirt was drenched with sweat, and Keith gasped, feeling more sweat dripping down his face. He swung his legs to the floor and sat on the edge of the bed, panting like a puppy. Standing, he stumbled to the window, pushing it open as wide as it would go. A cool breeze touched his skin and he reached up, wiping his moist forehead with the back of his hand.  
  
Chris had told him that this was one of the symptoms of his illness. Keith was just grateful for the explanation. He'd been getting these stupid night sweats for three months, and didn't know why. It was all clear to him, now.  
  
Chris stirred in the other bed. " Keith? What's the matter?"   
  
"Nothing, go back to sleep."  
  
Behind him, he heard Chris fumble for his glasses, and he swallowed, staring up and out of the open window, reveling in the breeze.  
  
Then Chris was at his side. "You okay, bud?"  
  
"Yeah…"  
  
Chris put his hand on his back. "Night sweat, huh?"  
  
"Another one. I'm getting used to them." Keith's voce was filled with bitterness.  
  
"You still shouldn't be in the draft. Let me get your robe." Chris moved off, but Keith snapped at him.  
  
"No! You don't need to wait on me hand and foot. I'm not an invalid."  
  
His words surprised Chris. "I didn't mean…"  
  
Keith's eyes were watery. There was silence, and then, "Is this what I have to look forward to? Everyone feeling sorry for me?   
Dammit, Chris, I want everything back the way it was!"  
  
Chris took a deep breath. "Me, too, Keith. I wish I could change the diagnosis, I really do, but I can't. And yes, once people find out about the cancer, they will treat you differently, but it's only because they care. They're only human, and they care!"  
  
Keith swallowed. He knew Chris was right. But all of this was just so hard to accept. Everything had happened so fast. One minute he's playing a friendly game of softball with his brothers and their friends, and the next minute he finds out he has cancer and could very well die! He sat back down on his bed, shaking and shivering from the cold air that pierced his damp clothing.   
  
He sobbed and Chris grabbed the robe from the foot of the bed, slipping it over his brother's shoulders. "I'm sorry…" Chris said softly, rubbing Keith's back.  
  
Keith shook his head. "No, you're right…" he swallowed, huddling in the robe. "I'm just so confused."  
  
"Me, too," Chris assured him, sitting on his own bed, trying not to stare at his brother.  
  
Pulling the robe closer around him, Keith stood up.   
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm going downstairs for a little while…maybe work on some songs. I can't sleep, anyway."  
  
"You want another painkiller? It should knock you right out." Chris offered.  
  
"No…all I need is to get hooked on them. Let's wait 'til I really need one, okay? I'm sure it's another thing I have to look forward to." Keith's smile was sarcastic, as was his tone.  
  
Chris nodded, watching as Keith exited the room.  
  
###  
  
  
Keith sat at the piano in the living room, softly playing a melody with his good hand. As his fingers danced across the keys, he closed his eyes, soaking each note in. And, there, alone in the darkness, he cried.  
  
A light came on in the hallway upstairs. As he heard someone approaching, Keith wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his robe, squinting up to see just who it was coming down.  
  
It turned out to be Tracy, in her robe and slippers. "Who's down here?"  
  
"It's me, Trace," Keith answered softly, hoping she wouldn't turn on another light. He'd just as soon keep it dark.  
  
"Keith, what are you doing up?" A lamp came on behind him. Rats.  
  
He forced a smile. "Just couldn't sleep."  
  
She moved toward him. "Me either."   
  
He turned to face her on the bench, looking up at her countenance. She was practically glowing, and he smiled. "The wedding, huh?"  
  
She nodded, reaching over and absently playing with his hair. "The more I think about it, the more excited I get." She looked down at him, her eyes bright in the dimly lit room. "I didn't get a chance to ask you. What did you think of Ken?"  
  
He chuckled. "Does it matter what I think?"  
  
Now the smile disappeared. "Of course it does. I respect your opinion; you're my brother! And I love you."  
  
He took her hand. "He's great, Trace. I really like him. I can see he makes you happy, and that's all I care about."  
  
Relieved, she hugged him. "I'm so glad," she said. "Because I love him so much, I can't stand it."  
  
He grinned. "I can see that. You didn't take your eyes off the guy the whole time he was here! I was beginning to think I was invisible."  
  
She mussed his hair. "Yeah, right. You, Keith Partridge, invisible! That would be the day!"  
  
He smiled at the compliment, then swallowed. "Uh, Trace, I need to talk to you."  
  
She continued to play with the hair at his collar. "Oh? Okay."  
  
"Let's go out on the patio. It's warm in here."  
  
"Okay," she said again, just the tiniest bit puzzled.  
  
He got up and she slipped her arm through his as they walked to the back door.   
  
It was a peaceful, starry, calm night, though a bit cool, and Keith guided his little sister to two lounge chairs at the edge of the lawn.   
  
He arranged them so that they faced one another and they each took one. Tracy was getting more and more curious as the seconds passed.  
  
He didn't speak for a long time, and she could see him struggling to find just the right words. Finally, she sat forward, her hand on his knee. "You wanted to talk, talk."  
  
He swallowed again. Looking at her face, so fresh and naïve, he almost backed out of it. No, he told himself. Tell her. It was only right. He took a deep breath, then, "Tracy, you know how I went to the doctor today?"  
  
She nodded, her eyes locked into his.   
  
"Well, they…Chris found a lump under my arm, and…" His voice weakened. "They told me I have cancer, Trace."  
  
She gasped, sitting back in the chair, still staring at him. "Oh, Keith, no…" She shook her head.  
  
He nodded, his eyes shining. She looked so upset, he almost apologized. In the moonlight, he saw the tears streaming down her face. She began to sob, and he reached over, taking her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She sat forward, reaching for him and he took her in, letting her weep against him there in the cool night air.  
  
###  
  
In the morning, there was a meeting of Partridges, upstairs, without Shirley, who still had to be told. The kids gathered in Keith's old room, and for a good hour, there wasn't a dry eye to be found.  
  
The girls clung to Keith as he stood by the bed, on which Chris and Danny sat. All five faces were pale, drawn and blotched. The news was still hard to take, hard to fathom.   
  
"How will you tell Mom?" was the question of the day, and Keith still didn't have a clue. He'd been over and over it in his mind. He only knew one thing. He wanted them there.  
  
They finally decided to tell her right after breakfast, should anyone find an appetite. It wouldn't be easy, but Keith knew he had to do it. And it was making him sick.  
  
So, the five of them made their ways downstairs, going a few at a time, so as not to raise suspicion.   
  
Danny and Tracy went in first. Tracy had to fight from crying when she saw her mother obliviously making pancakes. Even the wonderful scent of bacon frying could not bring a smile to either of Shirley's young red-heads. Greetings were exchanged and Tracy and Danny sat down.  
  
Chris came in alone, hoping that his sad eyes were well hidden behind his lenses, and took his place at the table.  
  
Next came Laurie. She was dressed for the day, trying to mask her tears under the light make-up she always wore.   
  
The younger four Partridges did their best to chat idly as Shirley, still unaware of the coming news, was only happy to serve them their meal, doing so with a naivete that nearly unnerved them.  
  
At first it seemed as if Keith had backed out of the plan, he'd taken so long to arrive, but when he finally did, it took everyone all they had not to dissolve into tears right then and there.  
  
Shirley noticed the silence, though for the life of her she could not fathom why these normally upbeat children were so solemn. "Is there something wrong?" she asked, scanning their faces for some sort of clue.  
  
Laurie smiled, unfolding her napkin. "Food looks great, Mom."  
  
"Sure does," Chris agreed.  
  
"Just great, Mom," Tracy added, glancing at Danny.  
  
He sat up straight, clearing his throat. "Yeah. Almost too good to eat." His eyes shifted to Keith, who remained silent for the moment.  
  
"Well, Keith, don't you have something to say?" Shirley asked, taking a seat across from him.  
  
He nearly jumped out of his skin. "What do you mean?"  
  
"About the food," Shirley nodded. "Your brothers and sisters all seem to like it, how about you?" She knew something was going on, but what?  
  
He didn't have an answer, which was just as well. Reuben knocked on the back door, then came in.  
  
"Hi, gang. Looks like I'm right in time for breakfast." He waited for Danny's cynical comment, and when none came, he too looked puzzled.  
  
Keith blew out a breath. This was not exactly what he'd planned on, but it would have to do. In fact, it was better. Now he could tell them together.   
  
Reuben stepped in farther as Shirley rose, nodding him away from the table. "Shirley," he whispered, staring at the solemn assembly before them. "What's going on?"  
  
"I don't know," Shirley whispered back. "I'm trying to find that out. They're obviously upset about something." She handed Reuben an empty plate, now speaking louder. "Of course, you're welcome to eat with us, Reuben. Go ahead and squeeze in somewhere." She flashed him a perplexed look and sat back down.  
  
Danny and Tracy moved their settings and chairs, making room for the manager as he glanced around the table. The gloominess practically hung in the air, and he began to panic.  
  
"You kids still plan on doing that concert tomorrow, don't you? The posters are up and the tickets are selling like hotcakes!" He looked down at the stacks of one and the same there on the table. "If you'll pardon the pun."  
  
"Sure, Reuben, we're doing the show," Keith said quietly. "We made a promise and we intend to keep it."  
  
Reuben looked relieved as the others nodded in agreement with Keith. "Okay, then, what's really wrong? Somebody die, or something?" He asked innocently enough.  
  
Suddenly four pair of eyes were upon Keith and he reddened a bit, the grip on his fork tightening. Shirley cocked her head, looking at him. Apparently, he was the center of this cockamamie silence.  
  
"Keith?"  
  
He put down the fork, clutching the napkin and pushing away from the table. The others now looked away almost uneasily.  
  
"I…uh…wanted to wait until after breakfast, but I guess that isn't going to happen." He got up. Shirley and Reuben watched him intently as he walked around the table. "Mom, Reuben, yesterday I found out that I have lymphoma." To his own surprise, he said it so casually! Then again, he'd had enough practice. But the look there on Shirley's face…he felt something stab him in the pit of his stomach.  
  
There was total silence, and then Laurie and Tracy started softly crying as Shirley stood up, her face a milky white. Reuben just cringed, putting his elbows on the table and resting his forehead against his clenched hands.  
  
"Oh, Keith, are you sure?" she looked over at Chris, who could only nod.  
  
"Oh, yeah," Keith answered softly, fighting back tears. If ever a boy needed his mother…  
  
She reached up, touching his face, her eyes brimming. "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry…I don't…I don't know what to say!"  
  
He swallowed hard. "You don't have to say anything…just hold me, okay?" His voice was full of anguish. "Oh, god, Mom, just hold me…"  
  
He went forward and she pulled him to her, her arms tight around him. She sobbed in his ear as he buried his face in her collarbone, crying right along with her. Swaying, they were barely aware that all around them, everyone, including Reuben, had just let go. It was about time.  
  
continued...  
  



	6. A PARTRIDGE FAMILY REUNION, Part 6

A PARTRIDGE FAMILY REUNION, Part 6  
  
Now it was down to business. For Keith, that meant getting the group show-ready for tomorrow's appearance. For Chris, it was calling the hospital to arrange for his brother's radiation therapy. Keith was none too thrilled with the idea, but Chris was adamant. The sooner they began the treatments the sooner they could cure the cancer. It was simple, no holds barred.   
  
Thus, while Keith called for a rehearsal, Chris went to the phone.  
  
A somber group assembled in the garage that morning. No one really felt like rehearsing, but they all knew they needed it. They would do it for Keith, if nothing else.  
  
Since they had to wait for Chris, everyone just sat around the garage, still contemplating Keith's stunning news. He'd gotten hugs from everyone, even surprisingly, Reuben, and he found it was easier to deal with it now that everybody knew. He'd been worried about how they would take it, but all was well thus far.   
  
He was working with Danny on the guitar licks when Chris entered. "Keith, your appointment's in one hour," he announced.  
  
Keith turned, staring. "One hour? I can't just…leave. We've got work to do."  
  
"Sorry, pal, but it's either that or in the morning, and tomorrow's the show."  
  
Sighing, Keith nodded. "Okay. What…does all of this involve?"  
  
"It's radiation therapy. They'll zap the tumor externally with high- powered x-rays in hopes to kill the cell growth. It won't be painful, but there are side effects," Chris explained.  
  
The Partridges and Reuben looked at Keith.  
  
"Like what?" he asked.  
  
"Well, it varies from patient to patient…most likely nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue."  
  
Keith smiled. "Oh, nothing new, then huh?"  
  
Chris shook his head. "Look, I don't know that they'll even do the radiation today. First they have to do what they call a simulation. They have to evaluate you, decide where to deliver the radiation and in what dosage. It's a long process."  
  
"Hurry up and wait, is that it?" Keith looked at him.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"How long will he need this treatment, honey?" Shirley stepped up behind Keith, her hands resting on his shoulders.  
  
"Four, six weeks. He's only Stage I, so this should do it. We're lucky we caught it early. It's a tough one to diagnose."  
  
"Yeah, all the symptoms sound like mono to me," Danny added. "And Lord knows Keith's prone to that."  
  
A ripple of laughter filled the garage, and Keith shot his younger brother a heart-felt look. "Jealous?" he asked.  
  
Danny grinned. "You wish," he shot back.   
Keith had to smile. "Look, we have time for a couple of songs. Let's get to work, and when I get back from Three Mile Island, we'll continue, okay?"  
  
"Okay. Hey, Chris, here's an idea…we can leave Keith's amp at home tomorrow, and just plug his guitar right into his navel. He'll be good for a couple of hours, wouldn't you say?"  
  
"Danny," Keith sighed.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Reuben and the girls applauded, and Danny grinned wider.  
  
###  
  
Every muscle in Keith's body hurt. How long had he been lying here, on this cold, steel table? It felt like days. They had told him not to move while the huge machine passed over him again and again. If he moved the slightest bit, they warned, they would have to start over. This was the simulation process, Chris had explained. They were pinpointing just where the radiation was needed. Next would come the decision on the dosage. Too much radiation could really make him sick, and not enough wouldn't do him any good.  
  
Keith stared up at the ceiling, or what he could see of it beyond the machine as it made another crawling sweep of his body. The huge monster was as noisy as it was big, and Keith imagined it was like being pinned under an eighteen-wheeler.  
  
He was just getting used to the noise; it was lulling him to sleep, when everything suddenly stopped and he heard a voice over the intercom, "Very good, Mr. Partridge. I think we got exactly what we needed."  
  
He looked over to see the technician, a young, bespectacled man, smiling at him through the glass partition in front of him.  
  
"Can I sit up now?" Keith asked.  
  
"Absolutely. Do you need some help there?" the tech answered.  
  
Trying it on his own and failing without the leverage of his injured arm, Keith looked sheepishly at the young man. "Yeah," he admitted.  
  
In an instant, the kid was there, carefully helping him up to a sit. Wincing from the sore muscles, Keith rubbed his back. "Wow…that table's not exactly a bed of roses."  
  
The tech chuckled. "I know, I don't know why they don't at least cushion it, but I just work here."  
  
"You sure everything's okay…I wouldn't want to have to do this again."  
  
"Looked good to me. The oncologist will take the results and go from there." The young man smiled. "Your brother's in the other room. Okay if I send him in?"  
  
Keith nodded, swinging his legs down to the floor. Chris entered, looking a bit concerned.   
  
"How'd it go?"  
  
"Okay…I think they fell asleep at the switch a couple of times, but he said it looked good. He said something about the oncologist."  
  
Chris nodded, helping Keith down off the table. "Yeah. They have to decide just where to pinpoint the radiation to get to the tumor without killing off your healthy cells. Then they'll figure out the dosage."  
  
"Sounds ominous to me. Too bad they just don't have a pill or something…a cure all."  
  
"They're workin' on it, pal, they're workin' on it. Did you want to call Mom between now and then? I'm sure she's wondering what's happening."  
  
Keith shook his head tiredly. "I wouldn't know what to say…you can if you want to. I just want to take a nap."  
  
Chris smiled, walking his brother to the door.  
  
###  
  
Keith got his wish; sort of. His must have been a textbook case, because before he knew it, they had him in a hospital gown, drawn graffiti on his upper chest near his armpit and stuck him under another huge machine with pretty much the same instructions as before: Don't move! Although moving was virtually impossible, what with the heavy lead vest they'd weighed him down with. This was the radiation part, he was told. The vest was to ward off the rays from getting into his healthy tissues. So, with just his bare shoulder exposed, the machine loomed over him, shooting, they said, the powerful, cell-killing radiation into the "X" they'd branded him with in a lovely shade of red.  
  
He was getting sleepy, lying there. He wished Chris were there to talk to him, but no one was allowed in the room because of the danger of the x-rays, the thought of which didn't really comfort him immensely…  
  
The therapist, this time a middle-aged woman, sat behind still another glass partition, controlling the cone-shaped ray-gun as it hovered just centimeters from him. He hoped she was aware of the dosage the oncologist prescribed, because if he ended up glowing in the dark, he was going to be very upset. Danny had come up with that one, among so many others, big surprise.   
  
"All right, Mr. Partridge, I think we're through for now." He heard the woman's voice as the machine suddenly stopped making its eerie noise. He almost expected Luke Skywalker to appear.  
  
She entered the room, pushing the cone away from him and removing the vest. She helped him sit up and adjust the gown. There was a motherly way about her as she retied the gown at the back of his neck, then patted him on the back. "Okay, sweetie, now you shouldn't have any trouble with the area we just radiated. If you do, it will just be red for a few days and it may itch a little. The doctor can give you some cream for that. It is possible that in a couple of hours, you will feel nauseous and need to vomit, but that will pass in three or four hours. You may feel a bit crampy in your stomach, too, but again, it's only from the treatment and the effects will go away," she said, smiling at him. "Any questions?"  
  
"Yeah, when do I have to come back?"  
  
"Starting Monday, five days a week, for six weeks."   
  
Keith sagged. "You're kidding."  
  
"If you want to kill that tumor, you have to come in for the treatments. The other sessions should only last fifteen or twenty minutes. Now, I'll leave you to get dressed. Did you want me to send your brother in?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
She smiled, patting him on the back again and exiting.  
  
His shirt was hanging on the rack nearby and he eased himself off the table as Chris entered.  
  
"She said you did really well."  
  
"I hope so. Man, six weeks of this…I hope Jay understands. And the promoters. I think I had a line up of shows next month." Keith struggled with the gown and the shirt.  
  
Chris came to the rescue. "I'm sorry, buddy, but it's got to be. I'm sure they'll agree that your life is more important than a few cancelled tour dates." He tossed the gown aside, helping Keith on with the shirt, even if it was just one arm in one sleeve. "And speaking of showbiz, there's a reporter loose in the hospital, trying to find out what's going on. I've been avoiding him."  
  
Keith closed his eyes. If only Ken were here now, he'd see first-hand the answer to his question. "Oh, great. Maybe we should call Reuben to fend him off. I really don't want this to get out…"  
  
"I'm way ahead of you. Reuben's on his way this very minute."  
  
Keith smiled wearily. "Thanks." He took a deep breath. "Well, let's go home and face the music, so to speak. I want to get in as much rehearsal as we can before these wonderful side effects begin."  
  
Chris put his arm around him.  
  
###  
  
Although Keith was virtually exhausted from the treatment, he still managed to find the strength to conduct a very thorough rehearsal. He had no choice. The show was tomorrow and they were nowhere near ready. They'd gone over every song on the list; the ones that needed the most work he had them do three or four times until he was satisfied. They were getting tired, too, but Keith wasn't about to let them out of it, no matter how anybody was feeling.  
  
Finally, after doing "It's One Of Those Nights" for the fourth time around, he called for a break. Reprieve! Danny's fingers were nearly raw from plucking the bass strings and he was the first one to lay down the instrument and head for the door. He was starving, and he voiced it loudly.  
  
"I suppose we could call for a couple of pizzas," Shirley rubbed her knuckles. "Is that okay with everyone?"  
  
There was a unanimous "Yes!" around the room as Keith began to double check the amplifier connections. Everything had to be just right, after all, this was their reunion concert. All of San Pueblo and the surrounding communities would be there, expecting classic Partridge Family fare, and it would be on his shoulders if they failed to deliver.  
  
Everyone started for the house. "Coming in, honey?" Shirley asked.  
  
"Oh, no thanks, Mom…my stomach's not exactly ready for pizza, - or anything - right now," Keith said a little feebly.  
  
She stopped, frowning, as did Chris. "Side effects already?"  
  
He nodded. "I'm starting to feel a little queasy."  
  
"You need something. Tea and dry crackers will help," Chris told him.  
  
"Maybe later." Keith swallowed.  
  
"Don't let your body get too worn out," Chris warned. "You're very susceptible to things right now, like colds, the flu. Keep up your strength. Eat, drink…"  
  
The latter half of that saying popped into Keith's mind, 'and be merry, for tomorrow ye may die,' but he didn't dare say it out loud.  
  
Chris continued. "You might want to look into some vitamins, too."  
  
Shirley saw the look on Keith's face. "Listen to Chris, honey. He knows what he's talking about."  
  
"I know," Keith smiled oh-so-wearily. "And I'll watch it, I promise."  
  
With an uneasy smile, Shirley went to him, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "See that you do."  
  
"Watch it, Mom…you could give me something," Keith said sarcastically.  
  
She smiled sadly, her hand on his face for a moment. Then she turned and left.   
  
Chris shook his head. "This is killing her," he said softly.  
  
Keith nodded. "I know…" He swallowed hard.  
  
continued.... 


	7. A PARTRIDGE FAMILY REUNION, Part 7

A PARTRIDGE FAMILY REUNION, Part7  
  
The purging had left him weak, so weak he couldn't even get up off the floor without Chris and Danny's help. He had vomited until there was nothing left to come up, yet still he felt sick, hardly even able to stand despite his brothers' strong holds.  
  
"Come on…lie down. Mom's brewing the tea," Chris said from his left, his hands gingerly holding Keith's wounded arm.  
  
Keith shook his head, feeling the tears streaming down his face. "I don't want to lie down, and I don't want any tea…oh, god, just let me die…" He tried to wriggle out of their hold, but they weren't about to give in.  
  
"You're exhausted," Danny told him, his deep voice resonating in Keith's right ear. "You've gotta lie down, Keith."  
  
They moved him forward, propelling him into the hallway, past Laurie and Tracy, who watched with worried looks on their pale faces.  
  
"Wait," Keith gulped, trying to shake Danny off.  
  
They stopped, and Danny let go. "What?"  
  
"I can't…gotta rest…"  
  
Chris still held his left arm as Keith shakily ran his right hand through his hair and leaned back against the wall, wincing. "I can't do this, Chris," he told his younger brother, shaking his head.   
  
"It won't last forever. You'll be back to normal by the morning, I promise," Chris assured him.  
  
"Yeah, from this one. But six weeks…"  
  
"It'll be easier as time goes on. Your body will adjust to the radiation and you won't be as sick. You've gotta hang in there, buddy. You're already winning this." Chris gave his back a little rub. "Ready?"  
  
Keith nodded wearily, letting them take him down the hall and to his room. Danny knew he'd want some privacy now that the treatments had begun, so he'd traded places with him.  
  
They got him into the bed and covered him up as the girls watched from the doorway, their faces still pale and sad.  
  
"Do you need anything, Keith?" Laurie asked tearfully.  
  
On his right side, Keith cringed into the pillow. "Just a knife, so I can slit my wrists," he moaned.   
  
The four younger Partridges exchanged worried looks.  
  
Shirley was at the door with a tray of crackers and a steaming teacup. "Here's some tea, honey, it should settle your stomach."  
  
"I don't think that's gonna do it, Mom," Keith muttered, moving under the covers.  
  
"Got cramps?" Chris asked, leaning down.  
  
"Yeah." He cringed. "All the way into my back. Oh, god, what's next, cholera?"  
  
"I'll get the heating pad for your back. Come on, try to sit up and drink this tea. It'll work, you'll be surprised," Chris ordered.  
  
Danny and Tracy helped Keith adjust, putting pillows behind him as Shirley carefully sat the tray on the bed and Chris went to find the heating pad.   
  
"It's hot, Keith, be careful," Shirley helped him raise the cup to his lips, as his hand was shaking.   
  
He sipped on it, feeling the gentle liquid slipping down his throat. It was quite relaxing and he swallowed, going right back for more, to Shirley's delight. When he was able to hold the cup alone, she let go, petting the side of his head and watching him intently as he downed the whole thing. He lay back against the pillows, closing his eyes.  
  
"It's not helping," he breathed.  
  
"Give it time, honey," Shirley squeezed his hand.  
  
Chris entered with the heating pad. He plugged it in, flipped on the switch and Shirley and Laurie eased Keith forward while Chris slipped it behind him.  
  
"That should take care of your back, and the tea should help with the nausea. All this should be gone by morning," Chris rubbed his shoulder. "Want anything else, before we turn in?"  
  
"No…thanks you guys…sorry to be so much trouble. This is all Chris's fault, you know."  
  
"Really? How do you figure that?" Chris smiled.  
  
"You had to go to medical school and be a doctor. I wanted you to be my drummer in my backup band, but no, you chose the easy job." Keith blinked at him with very sleepy eyes.  
  
Chris grinned. "I know, I'm sorry, but I did it for Mom." He put his arm around Shirley.  
  
"Come to think of it, it would have been cheaper had you taken Keith up on his offer," Shirley smiled up at him.  
  
Everyone, including Keith laughed, then he cringed, drawing up his knees. "Don't, it hurts to laugh."  
  
"I'm just grateful you still can," Shirley said softly, reaching over and touching his face.  
  
He smiled tiredly. "Me, too," he answered quietly as she went forward, kissing his forehead.  
  
"Sleep well, sweetheart."  
  
"You too, Mom. Thanks guys," Keith waved a hand at his brothers and sisters.  
  
They all expressed their love one by one, going out the door. Shirley left last, flipping off the light and watching for a moment as he settled down in the bed. Swallowing tearfully, she gently closed the door.  
  
###  
  
  
Danny peered through the curtain at the audience gathered for the day's show. There had to be 2000 people or more, all there to see them. He was impressed. Even after all these years, they still had quite a following! He knew the main reason for such a crowd, besides the charity draw, was Keith's presence; his older brother's solo career had been going strong for years, but still Danny was taken aback by just the sheer number of people out there. He just hoped they didn't mess up! Not only would the crowd be disappointed, but Keith would be livid!  
  
He turned to look at the others. Everyone was dressed alike -typical Partridge Family fashion - in billowy white shirts and black suspenders, black slacks and boots. At least the shirts didn't have wild patterns on them like they did a decade ago!   
  
Danny wondered if anyone else was as nervous as he was; no one looked it, but he could usually tell. Tracy was talking to Ken, Laurie was fussing with her hair, and Shirley and Reuben were talking to the Mayor. Chris was working with his drum kit and Keith was doing everything else that needed to be done before the curtain went up: checking connections, adjusting microphones.   
  
Danny sauntered up to him, trying to ignore the weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Need any help?" He could see it was awkward doing everything with one arm in a sling.  
  
"Nope. Think I've got it." Keith smiled at him. He was definitely not nervous, but then why would he be? He did this stuff practically every day! In a way, so did Danny, but the listeners to his radio program couldn't SEE him. "Nervous, eh, Danny?" Keith noted.  
  
"How could you tell?"  
  
"Well, you usually don't have beads of sweat rolling down your face for one thing."  
  
Danny reached up and swiped at his forehead. He hadn't even been aware of it! "Well, it's warm in this shirt."  
  
Keith grinned. "Okay, if you say so." He put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "You'll do just fine. It's like riding a bicycle. Once you do it, it all comes back to you."  
  
"Yeah, well, if you recall, I never really had a bicycle," Danny told him.  
  
"Oh, yeah," Keith nodded. "When I totaled mine, Mom wouldn't buy another one."  
  
Danny chuckled. "Yeah. Hey, how are you doin'?" Danny hadn't been the only Partridge to be surprised from the change in Keith's physical appearance from the night before.  
  
"Okay. I'm not nauseous like you, but I'll manage. Only thing is, is this stupid sling. It's really getting to be a drag, you know?"  
  
Danny shrugged. "Take it off."  
  
"Yeah, right, with Dr. Partridge back there?"  
  
"Ask him if it would be okay, just for the show."  
  
Keith glanced back at Chris, who was busy tightening a drumhead. "Yeah, I guess I could." He nodded Danny forward with him and the two boys approached their brother.  
  
"Keith wants his sling off," Danny announced as Chris looked up.  
  
Keith shook his head, sighing. "Danny…"  
  
"Well, I knew you'd be wishy-washy about it, so …" Danny shrugged.  
  
"No." Chris went back to the drum.  
  
"Why not?" Keith frowned.  
  
Chris raised his head, looking right at him. "Because one wrong move and you'll see stars. It's not healed yet."  
  
"But it's in the way and it clashes with my costume," Keith complained. "Look, suppose I keep my arm real close to my body. I won't move it at all." He felt like he was seven years old and asking Mom for a puppy!  
  
Chris looked skeptical. "If we take it off now, it's gonna hurt like the dickens later."  
  
"So, I'll take a painkiller. Come on. It's my arm."  
  
"Well, I suppose we can try it," Chris said, still a bit uneasily. "But only two songs. If I see ANY sign of pain on your face, we're stopping and putting it right back on."  
  
Keith grinned. "Fair enough."  
  
Chris shook his head. He got out from behind the drum set and went to him. "Okay, here goes. If it hurts, let me know."  
  
"Oh, don't you worry." Keith nodded as Chris gently took his arm.   
  
"Here, hold your arm so it doesn't drop when I loosen the band."  
  
Keith obeyed, watching as Chris reached up, unbuckling the sling by his neck.  
  
The sheer weight of his arm suddenly not being suspended surprised him and he gripped his wrist, trying not to show the initial pain it caused.  
  
"Okay?" Chris asked, easing the sling down off his shoulder.  
  
"Yeah…feels a little funny, but…" Keith kept the grip on his wrist tight.  
  
Chris massaged his arm, starting with the shoulder and working down to his hand. "How's that feel?"  
  
"Okay. I just don't dare unbend it."  
  
"Try not to, anyway. The more pressure you keep off your shoulder the better."  
  
Danny stepped back, observing the 'new' Keith. "You're right, it was clashing with your outfit. Just don't forget and try and pick up your guitar."  
  
Keith pulled a painful face. "Don't worry. Besides, you'll be doing a lot of the guitar playing. I managed to program some of it into the synthesizer, though."  
  
"You did? When was this?" Chris asked.  
  
"Early this morning. Wait'll you hear it. It's cool. I can make it sound like anything. Guitars, horns…just a flip of the switch and voila, we have an entire symphony."  
  
"Then you don't need me," Danny raised a hopeful eyebrow.  
  
"Technically, no, but you're not getting out of it that easy. If I have to do it, so do you." Keith grinned.  
  
"Yeah, but you're used to it. It's your life, man. My so-called fans can just turn me off if they don't like me. These people can boo and throw things!"  
  
Keith shook his head. "You're gonna do okay, Danny, trust me. Any mistakes will be lost in the crowd noise. Believe me, I should know."  
  
The Mayor and Shirley approached them. "Is everyone ready to start?" Mayor Jenkins, a balding older man in a three-piece suit, smiled at them.  
  
"Guess so, Mayor. Thanks for giving us our own day. We're honored," Keith extended his hand.  
  
"Well, it's the least I could do, Keith," the Mayor accepted the handshake. "Your family's done a lot for this community. I felt it was time to pay you back." He nodded at Shirley. "I'll go make a brief speech, Mrs. Partridge, then you can start the show."  
  
"Thank you," Shirley shook his hand as well, smiling as he moved off. Looking surprised at Keith, she exclaimed, "Keith, where's your sling?"  
  
"I'm gonna try to do this without it, Mom. I'll put it back on if it starts hurting."  
  
"Remember, two songs, and I'm checkin'," Chris waved the sling at him.  
  
"Okay, okay. Laurie, Tracy, come here for a second." Keith motioned his sisters over. They could hear parts of the Mayor's speech beyond the curtain, but Keith had something more important to say.  
  
They circled around him. "Okay, guys and gals, this is it. I know it's been a long time, but we've overcome a lot of rough spots. You guys are good, you always have been and you always will be. Don't be nervous; if you make a mistake, it's not gonna matter. Contrary to popular belief, Danny," he emphasized, "I'm not gonna get upset if things go wrong. You're my family first and my bandmates second. Understand?" His dark eyes scoured the circle.  
  
Everyone nodded, feeling just a little better. The Mayor droned on in the background and Keith lost his smile.   
  
"And another thing. This just may be the last show we ever do together. I don't know what the future holds for me, or for any of you, either, for that matter. I just want you to know that no matter what happens today, I am gonna remember this for the rest of my life, however long that it is. I love you, and I know that you're only doing this for me, which makes it even sweeter." He looked hard into their eyes, one by one.  
  
It brought them all to tears. Darn him for being so sentimental, Laurie thought. Her mascara was probably running now!  
  
She reached over, giving him a hug. When they parted, she was promptly followed by the others, surrounding him.  
  
Then came the words no one had heard for ten years: "Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome The Partridge Family!"  
  
Keith looked up as his bandmates clutched at him, still weeping. "Okay, kids. Let's blow 'em all away!"  
  
###  
  
It was like they'd never left. Song after song, a little patter here and there, and the crowd ate it up like it was 1972. Keith could just feel the love pouring out, not only from the audience, but from his family as well. He was euphoric. He tried to reciprocate that feeling by putting all he had into each song, singing them like they were meant to be sung. If anything, his voice had gotten even better over the years, were that possible. And behind him, Mom and the kids never had sounded better. It truly was a concert to remember.  
  
Two hours later, Keith ended the show, dedicating a solo to the family: a song he had written entitled, "Someone." He'd pre -programmed the music into the synthesizer and sang his heart out to his stunned family. As the words poured out, so did the tears, from both sides.   
  
Then, suddenly, it was over and they stood hand in hand, bowing as a family to the thundering applause that reverberated through the evening air.  
  
The curtains came down and Keith found himself being nearly hugged to death. It was a good thing the mikes were off, because the sobbing would have been heard into the next county.  
  
No one got a full sentence out; they weren't able to. And when Reuben and Ken got backstage, they wisely stayed back, letting the Partridges celebrate in their own, touching way. It was a sight to behold, and one, as Keith had said, they would never forget.  
  
  
  
###  
  
  
Still on a high from the performance, Keith found it hard to sleep that night. It had been an incredible feeling, being up there with the family again after doing solo shows for so long. Though he loved being on his own, doing just what songs he felt like doing, arranging them, writing more explicit 'rock n roll' songs, he had missed the camaraderie of being with a group. Life on the road as a single act could be very lonely. He didn't really have the chemistry with his back up band as he'd had with his brothers, sisters and mother. All the guys in the band led very different lives off-stage than he did; some were married, some weren't, yet none of them were extremely close, only onstage, where they meshed, of course, but it just wasn't the same.  
  
Keith sighed, looking up at the ceiling. He wondered just what it would take to get the family to consent to getting back together, however temporarily? No, he told himself. It wouldn't work. They already had their lives, too. Laurie and her law practice, Danny and his radio show, Chris's medical career, and what with Tracy getting married, a family would most likely follow soon. And Mom, well, she seemed pretty content just being retired. Nope, he thought. It would be nice, but…  
  
He drifted off to sleep and eased right into a dream. Well, that's what it started out to be; a dream. They were in the Hollywood Bowl. Mom, Laurie, Danny, Chris and Tracy. They were on the stage in front of a huge crowd. But where was he? Oddly enough, he wasn't there, at least not on stage. He was, watching, but from a distance. From somewhere back in the back. And another thing, the crowd was quiet; hushed. Strange, for a Partridge Family concert. Or was it a concert? It certainly was subdued, if so. He began to move down toward the stage. No one looked at him, nobody even noticed him as he went by. What in the heck was going on? As he drew closer to the stage, he stopped, seeing a giant banner draped on the curtain behind the family as they stood there. The words blared at him, huge white letters on a black background: KEITH PARTRIDGE MEMORIAL CONCERT. Memorial? What was this? That meant he was….dead! And he was right there!  
  
He stepped up onto the stage. All the Partridges were crying, standing there, unable to play. A lone microphone stand stood at the stage's edge, a large black bow tied to it, and he began to panic.  
  
"Mom!" he went to her as she stood by her piano. "Mom, what's going on?"  
  
She didn't move or look at him. She just wept. Everyone was weeping, and it gave him the willies.  
  
"Laurie! Danny, come on! I'm right here! There's been a mistake. I haven't died; I'm right here! Come on, you guys! Chris, Tracy, please! Look at me!" he pleaded, to no avail. They just kept right on sobbing.  
  
"Keith," he heard a vaguely familiar voice behind him.  
  
Whirling, he gasped. He had to be looking into a mirror, except that the face looking back at him was just a little older. The feeling was almost ungodly.  
  
"Keith," the image said again, this time reaching a hand in his direction. "Come to me."  
  
It hit him. This was his father. His father that had died 19 horrible years ago!  
  
Keith shook his head, his face reflecting utter terror.   
  
His father took a step closer. "Come, son. It's time."  
  
Keith took a step backwards. "No! No, I can't! I have to sing, to be with them!" He indicated the others, who still had not moved.  
  
His father smiled sadly. "No, Keith, you have to come with me, now."  
  
He was suddenly next to him, and Keith found himself unable to move. He watched anxiously as his father took his hand, smiling.  
  
"No!" Keith cried, trying in vain to pull away. "No, please! I'm not dead! I have to stay here! No!"  
  
The cry woke him. He sat up in the bed, drenched in sweat and his heart pounding nearly out of his chest.  
  
The door opened and the light came on. It was Shirley. "Keith!" she cried, going to him.  
  
"Mom!" he reached for her blindly.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
He just shook his head, starting to cry and she sat down next to him, taking him in her arms. He melted into her, sobbing, and soon the rest of the kids were in the doorway.  
  
"What's the matter?" Laurie stepped in.  
  
"He must have had a nightmare," Shirley answered, rubbing Keith's back as he continued to cry. She kissed his head, cradling him as they watched the tender scene worriedly.  
  
continued... 


	8. A PARTRIDGE FAMILY REUNION, Part 8

A PARTRIDGE FAMILY REUNION, Part 8  
  
During the next few days, the family concentrated on Tracy's wedding; or tried to anyway. What with Keith going in every day for his treatments and inevitably getting sick every afternoon, it was a little difficult to deal with caterers, flowers, gowns and invitations, but still they managed. The wedding would take place in the Church at one o'clock Saturday. The reception would begin at 6, in the Partridge's back yard. Tracy was beginning to feel just a tad guilty, stealing some of the attention from her oldest brother, but he assured her that he wouldn't hold any grudges as long as he could still walk her down that aisle and give her away. She tried to get him to sing before the ceremony, and he told her he'd think about it, but that Mom was a better bet.   
  
And so it went, the planning giving the women, at least, some respite from Keith's illness. The men, on the other hand, kept a close eye on their brother's progression, or digression, as the case may be. Some days, it seemed like he was winning the battle, and others, there was no win for losing. The nightmares had continued every night; the same one over and over. They were unnerving him and he knew it wasn't helping the physical side of this, let alone his psyche. The only good thing to happen lately was getting rid of the sling. His shoulder bruise had all but disappeared.  
  
On the Friday before the wedding, Shirley decided to throw Tracy and Ken a luau at the beach, as a sort of wedding gift. It would be just the family, and a good excuse to get out and away from the hassles of planning the wedding and take everyone's mind off of Keith's troubles.  
  
So, they packed up the bus and headed for the water: six Partridges, Ken, Reuben and the food. It was a deliciously glorious summer evening and they found a secluded spot near a wall of rocks that enclosed them in and away from the rest of the world.  
  
Shirley and Laurie spread the blankets and food out while Reuben, Danny and Chris set up the barbecue and prepared to cook. Virtually exhausted from his treatment earlier that day, Keith was told to sit and watch the goings on, which he gladly did, having hardly any energy with which to move. Ken and Tracy took a short walk along the water, hand in hand; genuinely in love. The sight brought tears to Shirley's eyes as she watched them wander off.  
  
Laurie joined Keith on the blanket. "Strange that the youngest Partridge is getting married, first," she sighed.  
  
"Well, I knew it wouldn't be me, that's for sure," Keith smiled. "You came close a couple of times, you know."  
  
"Oh, don't remind me." Laurie adjusted herself so that she and Keith were now back to back and she could feel him leaning on her.  
  
Shirley joined them, now. Seeing Keith's obvious weariness, she reached over, squeezing his hand. "Oh, honey, I should have brought you a chair to sit in. I'm sorry."  
  
"I'm okay, Mom. As long as Laurie doesn't move, she'll keep me upright." He grinned at her. "Question is, how are you holding up, what with your little girl getting married tomorrow?"  
  
Shirley shook her head. "I still can't believe it's here already. When she told me, I thought, well, six months. I can handle that. But time sure flies."  
  
"Yeah, one day she's in pigtails and the next minute…" Laurie said wistfully.  
  
"Don't start, Laurie. Mom's already a basket case." Keith pushed on her from behind.   
  
Danny, Chris and Reuben wandered over to them. "Ribs are on the grill. Hey, Mom, how come you didn't get the whole pig?" Danny grinned down at her.  
  
"One pig at a luau is enough," Laurie poked him.   
  
He retaliated by tugging on her hair and flopping down onto the blanket.   
  
Chris and Reuben followed suit, the older man doing so gingerly.   
  
Keith smiled at Shirley. "See, Mom, it's Reuben who needs the chair, not me."  
  
"I didn't even think about it. Will you be able to get back up, Reuben?" Shirley asked him concernedly.  
  
"Yeah, with everybody's help," Danny jeered.  
  
"I'll have you know that the doctor told me I have the body of a 35-year-old man." Reuben leered back.  
  
"Really? Aren't you afraid the cops will find it?" Danny faked surprise.  
  
Everyone laughed and Reuben just rolled his eyes. "I give up, Shirley. I try to stay one step ahead of him, and he beats me every time."  
  
"He's got his father's sense of humor, Reuben, don't blame me." Shirley laughed. "Keith got his looks, Danny got his sense of humor, and Chris got his intellect. The girls, on the other hand, take after the Renfrews."  
  
"Oh, Mom, did you bring that picture you were looking for?" Laurie's eyes nearly danced.  
  
"I did. It's right there in my bag, Danny, will you hand it to me?" Shirley indicated a straw tote bag nearby.  
  
He did as he was asked, as Laurie went on. "Wait 'til you see this, guys. We wanted Tracy to see it, too."  
  
"Want me to flag 'em down? Maybe I can interrupt a smooch session or something!" Danny looked just a little too eager.  
  
"They're coming back, butthead," Chris nudged him with his foot as Ken and Tracy drew closer.  
  
"Yeah, Danny, too bad for you." Keith shook his head.  
  
"Trace, come here!" Laurie waved her over, almost letting Keith topple in the process.  
  
"Hey, easy there!" Keith protested.  
  
"Sorry." Laurie did some more adjusting so he was comfortable once again.  
  
As Ken and Tracy approached, Shirley withdrew a photo album from her purse.  
  
"What's up?" Tracy, still holding Ken's hand, joined her family there on the blanket.  
  
"Look at this photo, honey, and tell me what you think," Shirley opened the book, and handed it to her.   
  
Tracy looked it over, her eyes widening as her brothers leaned over, trying to see it, too. "Whose baby is Keith holding?"  
  
Shirley smiled. "Keith IS the baby, honey. That's a picture of your Dad."  
  
Tracy's jaw dropped. "You're kidding! He looks just like…just like Keith!"  
  
Danny almost snatched the book from her, bringing it over so that he, Chris and Keith could take a look. "It IS Keith!" he exclaimed.   
  
"Read the back," Shirley instructed.  
  
Danny took the photo from the page, turning it over. "Daniel Allen and Keith Douglas Partridge, April 25, 1954," he read, then looked up. "Hey, cool. I've never seen this."  
  
"Me, either," Keith added, taking the photo from Danny. "I never realized how much I look like him." He suddenly felt cold. There was that feeling again….  
  
"You could be twins!" Chris shook his head, amazed, to Laurie and Shirley's grins.  
  
"They sure could," Shirley said, catching her eldest's eye. "Why do you think I fell in love with him?"  
  
Keith smiled, just a little embarrassed as Tracy sighed. "I don't remember Dad much. He died when I was what, two?"  
  
"Yeah. I think I was six, Chris was three, Laurie was ten and Keith had just turned twelve," Danny nodded.  
  
"I remember. Man, was that awful," Keith said gloomily.  
  
"What happened, if you don't mind my asking?" Ken put his arm around Tracy's shoulders.  
  
"Dan was a musician in his own right," Shirley answered. She smiled, thinking about him. "He was the one who got Keith hooked on the guitar, Keith taught Laurie the piano, and it sort of snowballed from there. Anyway, in July, 1966, he and a business partner were flying to Phoenix for a convention. The plane crashed in the desert. Here I was, with five small children, widowed, just like that. And, when my job at the bank just wasn't pulling in the money we needed, Keith decided to start the band, and here we are."  
  
Laurie leaned back against Keith. "I've often wondered what he would say if he could see us, now."  
  
"He would be the proudest father in the world," Shirley said firmly. "I believe that with all my heart."  
  
Keith moved this time, clearing his throat. Silently, he climbed to his feet, his face sad and a little pained.  
  
"You okay?" Chris asked.  
  
He nodded. "I just need to walk this off."  
  
"Cramping up again?"  
  
"Oh, yeah." He winced, taking a limping step.  
  
"Chris, go with him." Shirley ordered.  
  
"I will, Mom," Tracy scrambled up. She hurried over, taking Keith's arm. They moved slowly and deliberately off.  
  
###  
  
  
  
They walked along the water's edge, Tracy's arm through Keith's, silently listening to the crashing of the waves and feeling the cool water lapping at their ankles.  
  
He was limping and Tracy kept a firm grip on his arm, looking up into his face from time to time. It reflected the pain he was feeling more with each step and Tracy was rather surprised he'd come this far.  
  
"How we doing?" She asked, squeezing his arm.  
  
"Okay," he answered, trying not to flinch.  
  
"If you need to sit down, just tell me."  
  
He nodded. She noticed tears shining in the outer corners of his eyes and she put her head on his shoulder, feeling very melancholy.  
  
"Let's stop," he said finally, doing just that.  
  
She looked around them. "There's a rock over there about fifty yards."  
  
He shook his head, pulling a face. "I can't make it…oh, god…" He gasped, beginning to sink down to the sand.  
  
She kept hold of his arm until he was all the way onto his knees, both hands pushing into his thighs. She came down beside him.  
  
"Hurts, huh?"  
  
He nodded, pulling in a deep breath. "Yeah," he said, blowing it back out.  
  
She waited, her arm around his shoulder, pressing her head into his as he fought the pain within.  
  
There was a sob, then, "I'm not gonna make it, Trace…I'm losing this…" He looked skyward, as if awaiting some sort of answer.  
  
She closed her eyes. "Don't say that. Of course you're going to make it."  
  
"No…I've been having these nightmares," he gulped. "Dad's there, he keeps trying to take me with him."  
  
She swallowed hard, rubbing his arm. "They're just dreams."  
  
He shook his head. "And then when Mom had that picture…it was him…he said I have to go…I'm gonna die." He barely got the words out between sobs.  
  
"Oh, Keith…" she soothed, her voice shaking. "Please don't…you're giving up. You can't do that. I need you. You're gonna pull through; you have to." She hugged him tight, crying with him.  
  
Suddenly Chris was there. "Come on, Keith, let's get you back over here. You need to lie down." He knelt beside them.  
  
Keith seemed to calm. "No, I have to walk…Please, just let me be alone for a while, okay?"  
  
Tracy looked at Chris, her eyes wide. She shook her head.  
  
To her surprise, Chris nodded, putting his hand on Keith's shoulder. "Okay, then, but don't go wandering off too far," he told him.   
  
He and Tracy helped him to his feet. Making sure he was steady, Chris leaned in to look at him. "We'll wait right here for you, okay, bud?"  
  
Keith nodded, pushing away from the two of them. He started off as Chris and Tracy stared after him.  
  
"Chris…" she said uneasily.  
  
"He'll be okay. He needs to get this out. He told me he does this a lot, whenever he needs to think."  
  
"Chris, he's been dreaming about Dad. He says he keeps coming for him."  
  
Chris swallowed. "I know, Mom told me." He put his arm around her. "But that doesn't mean he's gonna die, Trace."  
  
They watched as their brother moved slowly toward the water, going about ten feet into the tide before sinking back down to the sand. He drew his knees up, hugging them, and started to cry.  
  
Tracy looked panicked. "Chris!"  
  
"Let him go, Trace. He's dealing with it in his own way," he said softly, fighting the lump there in his own throat.   
  
Damn cancer, anyway!  
  
  
###  
  
The Church was filling up quickly with fans and friends of the Partridges, pouring in like ants at a picnic. So many people, in fact, that extra chairs had to be added in the back of the chapel and a temporary wall was moved to accommodate even more guests.  
  
Danny and Chris, looking very handsome in their tuxedos, stood at the front of the chapel with Ken, another devilishly handsome creature in his simple white tux. They waited patiently for the girls to finish fussing with Tracy in another room somewhere, with Ken getting more and more jittery as each moment passed.  
  
In a back room of the church, Tracy stared at herself in the full-length mirror. The wedding gown she'd chosen conformed to her figure perfectly, with a square lace yoke and thousands of little pearls sewn into the bodice and the skirt.   
  
Shirley, of course, was teary. "Oh, honey, you look magnificent…" she sniffled, gently adjusting the veil that was topped with a pearl crown.  
  
"I do, don't I?" Tracy whispered in awe.  
  
"Breathtaking," Laurie added, standing back so she could get a full view of her little sister.  
  
"I hope I don't trip…is Keith outside?" Tracy smoothed the front of the skirt.  
  
"I think so. Laurie, you want to check?"  
  
"Sure. Oh, Mom, get a picture of her, will you? I still can't believe how beautiful you look, Trace." She grabbed her hand, squeezing it.  
  
Tracy smiled. "Don't, okay? All I need now is for my makeup to run!"  
  
Laurie hugged her quickly, turning and going out the door.  
  
"Oh, honey…" Shirley's voice trembled.  
  
"Mom, please…my makeup!" Tracy had to look away.  
  
"I know, but I just wanted to tell you how much I love you, and you know that I wish nothing but the best for the two of you."  
  
That did it. Tracy went forward, pulling Shirley to her. The wedding gown rustled with the effort, and the two of them clung to one another. "Thanks, Mom. I love you, too."  
  
They parted and both of them reached for the same box of tissue, giggling as they did so.  
  
Shirley dabbed at her eyes. It was a tough day, and it seemed as if it was just going to get tougher for the mother of the bride.  
  
###  
  
Laurie found Keith sitting on a bench near the men's room. He was looking thin and worn, yet still handsome in his tuxedo. He was leaning back against the bench, his eyes closed.  
  
"Tracy's almost ready, just a few last minute touch ups," Laurie informed him, sitting down. "You'll flip when you see her. She's a walking dream."  
  
He smiled tiredly. "I'll bet." He leaned forward, elbows on knees, pulling a face.  
  
"You okay?" Laurie put her hand on his back.  
  
"Yeah…it's just that…I promised Tracy I'd sing before the ceremony and, right now, I don't know if I can do it." He spoke softly. He'd been sick all morning with the nausea and the stomach cramps, but he hadn't wanted anyone to know, especially his youngest sister.   
  
"I'm sure she'll understand," Laurie's fingers raked across his back as she leaned down to look at him.  
  
He swiped at his eyes. "Dammit, I knew I shouldn't've gone in for Friday's treatment!" he groused. "I swear, they're gonna burn a hole in my chest before this is over."  
  
Laurie smiled sadly as he once again sat upright, his hand on his stomach. "Maybe Chris has something you can take to settle your stomach."  
  
He just shook his head wearily. Down the hall, the door opened and Tracy stepped out, bouquet in hand. Shirley was right behind her, trying to manage the four-foot train. Keith stood up, staring at Tracy as she glided toward them.  
  
"Trace?" He looked stunned.  
  
She grinned. "It's me, all right. Can you believe this?"  
  
They met in a long hug, and he kissed her cheek. "You're gorgeous!" He stepped back, looking her over.  
  
She put her hand on his face. "Don't you start…Mom, I need more tissues!"  
  
"Way ahead of you," Shirley smiled, pressing several into her hand.  
  
"Tracy, you look like an angel," Keith said, his eyes shining.  
  
She nudged him. "You don't look so bad yourself," she retorted, laughing through her tears.  
  
He held out his bent arm. "Ready, pumpkin?"  
  
She glanced at her mother and sister, taking a deep breath before taking his arm. "Ready."  
  
"We'll tell them you're on the way," Shirley said, motioning Laurie forward.  
  
"Good luck, you two." Laurie grinned, following her mother.  
  
Now Keith and Tracy stood alone in the corridor, their eyes locking.  
  
"Thanks for filling in for Dad, Keith."   
  
"Hey, I figure I'm the next best thing, right?" he smiled warmly, over the turmoil brewing in his midsection. "You okay to go?"  
  
"Question is, are you ready?" Her eyes were full of concern.  
  
He nodded. "Don't you worry about me."  
  
"Are you still singing for me?"  
  
He hauled in a deep breath. "I think I can do that," he grinned tiredly.  
  
She smiled as he reached up, adjusting the crown on the veil, and once more giving her a brotherly kiss on the cheek.  
  
She returned the kiss and he patted her hand, stepping forward.  
  
###  
  
Tracy felt like a queen as she and Keith strode down the aisle to Laurie's rendition of the Wedding March. Everyone was standing, looking at her and she glanced at Keith self-consciously. He gave her a wink and a smile and she closed her eyes, waiting for her heart to get back to its normal rhythm. Up ahead, she saw Ken there waiting for her, his face beaming. Even Chris and Danny looked entranced as they approached the minister. Finally reaching the end of their walk, Keith eased her hand onto Ken's arm with a wide grin and stepped back, going to a microphone that sat by the piano. He picked it up, clearing his throat and looking around the room. All eyes, including the bride and groom's turned to him.  
  
"Tracy asked me to sing a song for her and Ken. I wrote it on the plane coming out here for this wedding, never having met my future brother-in-law, but I can see now, looking at the two of them, that truer words have never been written. It's called 'Tenderly,' and I hope you like it."  
  
He glanced at Laurie and she began to play.  
  
Grinning at Tracy and Ken, he started to sing. The words came out gently, meaningfully, and he sang to the two of them as if they were the only ones in the room.  
  
He ended it to thunderous applause, but he could only see Tracy and Ken smiling at him. Tracy wiped at her eyes with the tissues, mouthing "Thank you!" to him as he blew her a kiss, taking his place behind Ken and Laurie joined him, standing behind Tracy as the minister began the ceremony, simple as it would be.  
  
"Please join hands and face one another."  
  
They did so, and the minister went on.  
  
"Do you, Tracy, take Ken as your husband, to have and to hold, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, 'til death do you part?"  
  
Tracy swallowed, hoping the words came out. "I do."  
  
"And do you, Ken, take Tracy as your wife, to have and to hold, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, 'til death do you part?"  
  
Ken gazed into her eyes. "You bet I do."  
  
"The rings, please," the minister looked at Danny.  
  
He handed them to Ken and they did the exchange, staring into one another's eyes. Finished, they turned back to the podium from where the minister spoke.  
  
"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife."  
  
There was a pause, and the minister smiled mischievously.   
  
"You may kiss the bride."  
  
Ken grabbed her, putting her in a full lip lock as Keith and Laurie laughed behind them. Then it was virtual chaos as they turned to face the congregation. Shirley greeted them both with a hug and kiss, and soon they found themselves surrounded by ecstatic family members.  
  
Tracy gave everyone hugs, waiting to give Keith one last. She pulled him close, whispering in his ear. "Thank you for the song, Keith. It was beautiful."  
  
They parted and she was surprised to see tears in his eyes. Panicking, she grabbed his hand. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Oh, sure." He tossed his head carelessly. "It's just that…well, I thought I was your favorite guy and now…" He forced a smile.  
  
She laughed, kissing his cheek. "Don't worry. I still love you like a brother."  
  
He laughed, too, wiping at his eyes as Ken came up, enveloping him in an embrace. "Thanks for that great song, Keith. It was just great."  
  
"You're welcome. Now you be sure and treat my sister right, or I'll come after you."  
  
"No need to worry. I love her more than anything in the world," Ken assured him, bringing Tracy's hand up and kissing it.  
  
Shirley stepped up. "The photographers are waiting outside for pictures," she told them.  
  
"Okay. See you later at the reception?" Tracy asked Keith.  
  
"I hope so," he smiled, waving as Ken took her back down the aisle toward the door.  
  
Feeling just a bit tired, he slipped away from the crowd.   
  
###  
  
It seemed as if the reception line wasn't ever going to end. The Partridges and Ken had stood now for two hours, greeting everyone that passed through. Just about the whole town turned out!  
  
Keith wasn't up to standing that long, so he was taking frequent breaks in the house, away from the confusion and the few gate crashers that had turned up in hopes of seeing him, anyway.  
  
He would last the better part of half an hour, then he would slip into the house, ease down on the couch and put his feet up, feeling like 71 instead of 31.  
  
Chris would check on him routinely, this last time catching him in a serious phone conversation. Chris came in through the kitchen, stopping to eavesdrop.  
  
Keith was sitting at the desk in the living room, his back to anyone who came in. "I know," he was saying to the person on the other end. "But I still have three, maybe four weeks of these radiation treatments! Yeah, but it's not…I can't do that. Jay, listen to me."  
  
Chris knew it was Keith's manager he was talking to. He waited, unseen, as Keith went on.  
  
"Really. That good, huh? Crap. Yes, yes, I know. Look, I'll talk to Chris and see what he thinks. Yes, and don't scrimp. I want the best you can find. It's my life, man. Okay, talk to you later." He hung up the phone as Chris stepped forward.  
  
"That Jay?"  
  
Startled, Keith looked up. "Yeah. I called to let him know what was going on." He pushed himself up and went back over to the couch, falling back on it.  
  
"So, out with it."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I heard you say you needed to talk to me. What about?" Chris sat down next to him.   
  
Keith nervously cleared his throat. "He's uh…come up with a gig I just can't pass up," he said, looking up at him. Chris's face remained stoical. "It's a two week run at Harrah's over in Tahoe. They want me there by Wednesday." He stopped, waiting for the repercussions.   
  
Chris nodded. "I see. Well, are you taking it?"  
  
Surprised, Keith shrugged. "I was thinking about it, yeah."  
  
Again Chris nodded. "You still have a few weeks to go on your treatments. At least three."  
  
"I know, and he's finding me a doctor up there so I can keep up with them. I told him I wanted the best guy in the business."  
  
"Can you handle performing, what with the side effects? You've seen what they do to you."  
  
Keith sighed, closing his eyes. "I'll have to deal with it as it comes up." He looked at him, his face dark and serious. "I can't stop my life because of this, Chris. The show must go on. I can't let a little thing like cancer bring me down."  
  
Chris smiled, reaching over and squeezing his arm. "That's the Keith I know."  
  
"Then you agree?"  
  
"One hundred percent. As long as you keep up with your treatments, you should do okay. Can't guarantee anything, but…"  
  
Keith looked relieved.  
  
"Just one thing, though," Chris bit his lip.  
  
"What?"  
  
"How are you gonna tell Mom?"  
  
"Hey, I told her I was dying. How bad can it be to tell her I'm gonna live?" Keith looked at him, his eyes shining.  
  
Laughing, Chris pulled him close.  
  
###  
  
The reception was finally over, everyone had gone home, and Ken and Tracy were preparing to leave for their honeymoon, a week in Maui. They came downstairs with Tracy's bags as the rest of the family stood nearby to see them off.  
  
There were hugs all around, of course, and the gifts. Danny, Chris and Laurie all pitched in to give them $3000 in spending cash, and Shirley had passed down a set of china she'd gotten from her grandmother. Only Keith's gift remained, and he was upstairs sifting through his luggage trying to find it.  
  
"Thanks, you guys for the money…you're spoiling us!" Tracy told her siblings.  
  
"Yeah, well, we want to see receipts. And a little change would be nice, too," Danny kidded as Laurie smacked his shoulder.  
  
"Ignore him. Spend it any way you like," she smiled.  
  
"Like they're gonna leave the hotel room to spend it," Chris said, to everyone's surprise.  
  
"Chris!" Shirley said.  
  
"I'm a doctor, I'm allowed," he grinned.  
  
"And thanks, too, Mom for the beautiful china. Hope you don't mind us leaving it here 'til we get back."  
  
"Oh, no, not at all. It's just that every time I see it, I'll burst into tears, but, I'll manage…" Shirley leaned over, giving them both a kiss. "Have a good time, kids."  
  
Ken glanced at his watch. "Our plane leaves in two hours…"  
  
Danny sighed. "Maybe somebody should check on our beloved lead singer. He probably pulled a muscle going through that mountain of luggage he has."  
  
Keith came down the stairs, an envelope in his hand. "Sorry I took so long," he seemed a little out of breath. Grinning, he handed the envelope to Tracy. "Here's to your marriage."  
  
She took the envelope as everyone gathered around. It wasn't sealed, so she opened the flap. Puzzled, she brought out a set of keys on a chain and a folded piece of paper.  
  
"What's this?" she eyed her oldest brother.  
  
He nodded. "Read the paper."  
  
Unfolding it, she and Ken read the words, both looking up in shock. "The deed to your house in San Fernando?" Tracy was stunned.  
  
Keith smiled. "Somebody should enjoy it."  
  
"Oh, Keith, I…I don't know what to say!" Ken shook his head.  
  
He shrugged. "It's nothing. The house is right in the center of all the action, you know, agents, studios. I thought you might like it. I never go there, I'm always on the road."  
  
His words were cut short by a hug from both of them at once.  
  
"Keith, how wonderful!" Shirley put her hand on his shoulder.  
  
Keith looked at Chris. "Oh, and speaking of being on the road, Mom, everybody, I have an announcement to make."  
  
"Uh oh," Danny folded his arms across his thick chest.  
  
"Jay got me a job at Harrah's Tahoe starting Wednesday for two weeks."  
  
They all reacted.   
  
"No way!" Tracy said.  
  
"You can't!" Laurie shook her head.  
  
"Sorry, pal, but you'll have to cancel." Danny was adamant.  
  
Keith looked over at Shirley. "Mom?"  
  
"Oh, honey, I'm so glad you're going on with your life. You've been through so much; you need to get back out there and show 'em that nothing, but nothing is going to stop Keith Partridge!"  
  
Her words surprised all of them, most of all Keith. He grabbed her, giving her the hug of her life. And his. After all, that's exactly what it was. His life.  
  
###THE END###  



End file.
